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Little Free Library pops up at House of Rock

Posted at 5:54 PM, Oct 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-15 19:34:00-04

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — So, what do you do after you read a good book? Do you share it with someone, or do you put in on a shelf?

There are some new places in town to pick up and drop off books.

The most recent Little Free Library popped up in front of the House of Rock on Monday.

"I think it's a great idea, you know, getting kids and really anybody off their electronics and getting back and reading books," House of Rock Managing Partner Casey Lain said. "It's also an opportunity for us to tie back into the community."

Lain said in less than 24 hours, and we already saw people taking part in book sharing.

"I checked it this morning, and there has been a few books that were picked up," he said. "So somebody went by and grabbed some. We've seen a good response on social media and some good comments and feedback on it. So it seems like people are really excited about it."

As a service project celebrating the Junior League of Corpus Christi's 75th anniversary -- 75 Little Free Libraries will be placed across the area.

"The community supports it," Janice Cagle, the project's chairperson and a sustainer for the Junior League of Corpus Christi, said. "It's in neighborhoods. It's in front of the schools. It's in front of churches. I have almost every church represented in Corpus Christi."

Cagle said not everyone has a public library in their neighborhood. She said many people also don't have money to shop at bookstores.

"I'm excited that a child is going to have an opportunity to read with their parent, and it didn't cost them anything," Cagle said.

She said the Junior League of Corpus Christi raised $24,000 for the project, which helped pay for 62 of the libraries. The remainder will be custom built and designed.

"Books are meant to be shared," she said. "I buy a book, and I never keep it, I give it away. I've done that my whole life."

Lain said the House of Rock is happy to be one of the chosen spots.

"There are more people living downtown now than there has been before," Lain said. "A lot of hotels, tourists, and people are visiting so they can take a stroll, pick up a book, and sit on the seawall and enjoy it."

The books range from kids' short stories to novels. Cagle said right now, 75 percent of the libraries are in place around the town.