Community Corner

Plymouth Family Opens A Little Free Library

Looking to connect with neighbors more, Roxann and Hans Buslee had a Little Free Library installed on their property in honor of a deceased relative.

Ten years ago the Buslees came to a little neighborhood in Plymouth of County Road 61/Northwest Blvd.

Two months ago they opened up a little library and that same day things got interesting.

It's not just any library, but a special one for Roxann and Hans. Though they are part of the nationwide Little Free Library movement, the little library on their lawn is unique, it's dedicated to Hans' father, the Honorable Henry B. Buslee who passed away.

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"He was always reading a book," Hans said. "We want to get World War II books in there because he loved those."

Their Little Free Library is dedicated to Henry who died a year ago. His wife Ruth loves the idea of having the library in his honor.

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"He always tried to instill a love in reading in his kids," Ruth said. "It's so much easier to just watch television."

The Little Free Library sits on a wooden post in the Buslee's front yard. It looks like a large mailbox decorated like a red house, but instead of letters it's filled with books by Dean Koontz, kids books and more that come and go everyday.

"We just put books in it a couple days ago and people have been using it," Roxann said. "You take a book and put in a book. It provides a sense of neighborhood togetherness."

She likens it to an extension of a book club. You read something you may not have bought yourself at a bookstore, you learn something new about a topic and may even meet a neighbor you didn't know very well.

"I've only met a few of our neighbors while we've been living here for 10 years and I hope having this slows the fast pace of where live down," Roxann said.

Hans said that they've met new neighbors already who have put in children's books and loved the idea of having something they could all share.

Roxann heard about the Little Free Library started by Hudson, Wis. native Todd Bol, who actually came out and installed their Library.

"I paid for the materials and a donation fee for the installation," she said. "You can buy the kit and build it yourself too."

Bol and Rick Brooks started the Little Free Library enterprise in 2009 and now have hundreds of little libraries in more than 30 states and 20 countries.

You can get different designed little libraries. Roxann also had to get it approved by the city's planning department, as the Little Free Library is designated an "accessory structure."

She also made sure before digging and having the post put in that there were no wires, gas or other lines running in the underground where it stands.

"It's a pretty easy process, you just have to start with the desire," Roxann said.

The library structure Roxann bought, plus the cost of construction, totaled about $400. The purchase is tax deductible and the money goes to continually having Free Little Libraries built around the world.

The goal is to get more than 2,000 and the Buslees' is number 978. An online map shows where each one is in the world.

But for the Buslees their Little Free Library has created a small world in their own neighborhood where neighbors are getting to know each other and taking time to read.


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