In June 2022, a global milestone was reached, which while it may not have received widespread media attention, was no less important for what it represented. That milestone? The installation of the 150,000th Little Free Library.
Rapidly expanding across the world, Little Free Libraries are community-based installations that are designed to encourage community spirit and make books more accessible, especially across rural centres.
In 2016, Waikato District Council, as part of its Placemaking Programme, installed the district’s first Little Free Library in Pōkeno — where growth was outstripping the development of social infrastructure, and where there was no public library.
Located on Pōkeno’s main street, the district’s first Little Free Library has now been joined by 50 others across the district.
From small things, big things grow
“From that first library, interest sky-rocketed and within a very short space of time we ended up with nearly 50 Little Libraries right across the district, in the towns, villages and rural areas,” says Lianne van dem Bend, Community Led Development Advisor.
“We realised early on that in order to do the project, we needed committed partners. So, we partnered with Springhill Correctional Facility; we partnered with Citycare Property; we partnered with all 22 community committees; MENZSHED; community houses, community boards — it was a project that took three years from whoa to go to create these little libraries.”
Waikato District Council Community Led Development Advisor, Lianne van dem Bend, with two of the more than forty little libraries designed and created by the tāne at Springhill Correctional Facility.
Waikato District Council has committed to continuing the initiative, with additional libraries being earmarked for installation across the district. Citycare Property has committed to working with local community representatives to identify where and how the libraries will be installed to best suit those communities.
Adding to a sense of community
Each Little Free Library holds between 20–40 books that can be borrowed or exchanged and can now be found in the following Waikato communities: Waingaro, Glen Massey, Waitetuna, Glen Afton/Pukemiro, Naike, Te Ākau, Onewhero, Matangi, Tauwhare, Maramarua, Mangatangi, Mangatāwhiri, Puketaha, Tamahere, Pukekawa, Port Waikato, Mercer, Meremere, Eureka, Whatawhata, Te Uku, Orini, Whitikahu, Waiterimu, Waerenga, Te Kowhai, Glen Murray, Rotongaro, Rangiriri and Te Hoe.
Two of the refurbished picnic tables, which Citycare Property had diverted from landfill during park upgrades and gifted to the Waikato community.
“We want to do way more of these social infrastructure projects with Citycare Property,” says Lianne. “Initiatives such as the Little Free Libraries and the picnic tables that Citycare Property has donated to our community groups — with another 10 tables being gifted recently to the Taupiri community — are fantastic at helping build a real sense of placemaking and kinship among the residents.”