Students putting books into Townsend's Little Free Library

Students surround the new Little Free Library at Townsend ElementaryAt the entrance of Townsend Elementary is a new Little Free Library, with the charter number of #169963. The library was recently set up and is now active!

Librarian Ashton Johnston said she applied for one online via Little Free Library and was selected to receive a free library based on telling them about the school, town, and demographics and how the community would benefit from the library.

Books in the Townsend Little Free Library are age-appropriate for those in elementary school up to teenagers. There are no adult books.

Students in Mrs. Walley’s first-grade class helped fill the library for the first time.

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota. According to its website, its mission is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes.

According to the organization’s website, there are more than 150,000 Little Free Libraries around the world and more than 400 million books have been shared.

The Townsend LFL is not yet listed on the website, but will be the second listed in Walton. One is also in the Big M. The area has a few other registered libraries in Delhi, Deposit, Franklin, Unadilla, and Bainbridge.

For more information about Little Free Library, please visit https://littlefreelibrary.org/.