Reading material for all ages is now available at the University of Lethbridge, as several Little Lethbridge Libraries have made their appearance on campus.
Thanks to Dr. Andy Hakin, provost and vice-president (academic), six little libraries, three indoors and three outdoors, will soon be installed and their shelves ready for books. The City of Lethbridge teamed up with the Ability Resource Centre to build and maintain the little libraries. The little library movement has grown across the country and when Hakin first heard about it, he knew he wanted to get involved.
“The little free library movement based on the theme of “Take a book, leave a book” is perfect for the University campus,” says Hakin. “It’s a way to further engage with community members coming to campus for sporting events, speaker series and conferences. It’s wonderful that we can share and promote reading on campus with our University and local communities through the Little Lethbridge Library program. This program is also a way of promoting general reading within our University Library. I would like to personally invite everyone to enjoy this supplemental reading.”
The three interior little libraries have already been installed — one in the 1st Choice Savings Centre, another near Starbucks in the LINC building, and the final indoor library in the Atrium.
An outdoor little library will soon be installed by the bus loop by the Students’ Union Building and others will be installed near the Campus Roots Community Garden and Anderson Hall next spring.
The Lethbridge Public Library and the U of L Library have supplied the first books for the little libraries on campus. Books are already being scooped up and everyone is encouraged to donate general reading material for children, teens or adults. Books can be delivered to the U of L Library, Room L1142. Representatives from the Lethbridge Ability Resource Centre will check on the little libraries weekly.