Girl Scouts Meghan Swanson, Delaney Varney and Gabby Artman are doing their part to help literacy, with the installation of “Little Libraries” around the area.

 

The Scouts, who have belonged to Becker Troop 698 since they were Daisies, were looking for a project they could use to help them obtain their Girl Scout Silver Award, which requires a community service project. They had a lot of ideas on the table, but when Swanson brought up Little Libraries it clicked.

 

“We noticed there are a lot of kids in rural areas,” said Swanson. “They need access to libraries.”

 

Doing research, they discovered kids who don’t read proficiently by third grade are three times more likely to drop out of high school.

 

Children in homes without books can be up to three years behind their peers academically. One of the most successful ways to improve reading achievement is to increase kids’ access to books, and that’s where the Little Libraries come in.

 

Little Libraries contain books that anyone passing by can take to read or leave one behind for someone else to read. The libraries are similar to a self-serve kiosk, which makes them available 24/7 all year around.

 

Although they worked as a team, each of the girls was in charge of her own library, including finding a location, obtaining permission for installation, and design and building.

 

The girls started with Palmer Twp., attending a meeting last summer to present the idea and ask the board for their support in placing a library at Palmer Park. More presentations followed, including one to the Becker Lions, who gave them a donation for future books and supplies.

 

To get the books they needed to start the project, the Scouts held book drives at their school, Becker Middle, the school’s library donated a bunch, and an eighth-grade English teacher donated Barnes and Noble gift cards. The girls also went through the books they had at home.

 

Swanson, Varney and Artman also built the libraries, learning how to use power tools with the help of their dads. Haus Construction donated all the lumber and Becker True Value donated the Plexiglas and all the hardware.

 

Along with leadership skills, the Scouts learned how to speak and present in front of groups.

 

“We also learned patience,” said Varney. “Even when I think I’m done I’m not done.”

 

Silver Award projects need to be sustainable, so in a few years the girls will be reaching out to younger area troops to help take care of the libraries. Currently they plan on restocking them at least once a month, depending on use.

 

The first Little Library has been installed at Palmer Park and is already being used. The second and third libraries, which are being placed at the Becker Athletic Complex (BAC) and a neighborhood on 175th Street, are scheduled to be installed within the next couple of weeks.