Little library, big idea: Hanceville cuts the ribbon on new little free library
Jul. 8—Until you spot it, it's easy to miss. But for the Hanceville Public Library, it's the latest new addition to help advance the library's mission of making reading fun and accessible for all ages — and at all hours of the day (or night).
Friends of the Library helped cut the ribbon Wednesday on a tiny but welcome new feature: a curbside "little library" drop-off and pickup box; a covered bookshelf not much bigger than birdhouse where readers can stop at any hour and browse through an ever-changing selection of books — all provided by the library, and all free to take home and enjoy.
The little red box sits just at the edge of the street along Bangor Avenue, only steps from the library itself — formerly a bank (complete with a still-intact, walk-in bank vault) in its original incarnation.
Librarian Shirley Burden, who credits the countywide Friends of the Library group with coming up with the idea, says readers from Hanceville and beyond are all welcome to stop by and pick out a book — all without worrying about paying, scanning a library card, or even leaving a replacement book behind in the exchange.
"It's really for anybody," said Burden, who's been with the library since before it moved to its current location more than a decade ago. "People are welcome to donate a book to the library, but it's not required to go by the box and pick one out. We will be keeping it stocked with books."
The little library may be new, but there's already lots going on inside the main facility at Hanceville, which itself is one of five library locations anchored countywide by the Cullman County Public Library main branch in Cullman.
Every Wednesday at 10 a.m., Burden, along with assistants Teresa Rivera and Virgil Nix, host a pre-lunch story time for kids, who can make full use of the library's enclosed, mural-lined outdoor reading "room" (or simply gather indoors when the weather isn't cooperative.)
"Sometimes the kids don't want to go," jokes Burden, with Rivera adding that even the parents sometimes have so much fun that they stick around through lunchtime. "Shirley is really the heart of the library," says Rivera. "She's watched a lot of children grow up here, and they love her. They even come back here as adults now, looking for her. They remember her as a part of their childhood."
Whether it's Wednesday story time or learning more about the new little outdoor library, you can always find out the latest about what's happening at the Hanceville Public Library by following the library on its frequently-updated Facebook page. You can also contact the library at 256-352-0685 for current hours, program info, borrowing policy information, and more.
