PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There's a new feature at a Spring Garden playground, and it's part of a global reading movement.
Patrick Boyle, president of the Spring Garden Civic Association, said with all the difficulties kids have had this year, they decided to open a Little Free Library.
"We know that the school year was ending and we know that there are a lot of kids that want to read but they just can't get to the main library," he said.
"That was why we started talking and realized, let's go and make a [Little Free Library] here in Clemente Playground."
The association enlisted resident artist and fellow board member Brad Jamula to build the weatherproof bookcase. He decorated it in Spanish and English.
"It says on the side, 'Learn, Creer, Magic, Leer, Book, Soñar,'" Jamula described, "which loosely [means], 'Learn to believe, magic to read, book to dream.'"
The Little Free Library movement began in 2009 in Wisconsin, and has grown to include over 100,000 boxes in over 100 countries.
"It's a nonprofit organization and so basically you can purchase a library from this organization or you can build your own," explained Jamula.
What are the rules? "No rules," said Boyle. "Just take a book and when you're done with it bring it back."
He added, "If you love it that much you can keep it, and we're gonna have the Friends of Waring (Elementary School) and us, they're going to restock the books on occasion as needed."
Jamula said Little Free Libraries build community, which was very much needed here.
"I mean, there was one of Philadelphia's mass shootings less than a year ago, a recent shooting on Memorial Day. There are a lot of things happening in this neighborhood that are very challenging that are driving people away and that's unfortunate," he lamented.
"I really have a lot of love for this community. I think this is a real opportunity to think about what community means and to use projects like this to address that head on."
Boyle, meanwhile, noticed a lot of Little Free Libraries popping up around the city this year.
"I think it has to do with the pandemic and kids being home and not in school," he said, "and I think it's a perfect opportunity for kids to have access to books."
"Putting something positive into the world," said Jamula. "Hopefully that brings positivity back, because I think that's what a project like this really does."