Neighbors gathered at Unity Park this morning for the unveiling of the park’s newest addition: a “Little Library,” where children and families can dive into stories from the library while enjoying the greenery.
The welcoming ceremony featured a small parade, a reading with children to unwrap the Little Library and a special performance by actor and musician Joe Boersma, sponsored by Illinois State Rep. and Logan Square activist Will Guzzardi. The first 50 children that donated a book received a limited-edition button from the volunteer council.
Unity Park Advisory Council, who extended an invitation to Friends of the Logan Square Library to join in the unveiling festivities, hopes to grow the project with support from the community to be a literary value for families and children of all ages. The box is one of the first to be located in a Chicago Pak district in the neighborhood.
“We’re so excited that our park was given the okay to install this very important community resource,” said UPAC’s Maricarmen Vaquera, who brought the idea to UPAC and whose cousin helped refurbish the box.
“We look forward to seeing children reading in the park then getting to take a book home to enjoy,” she said.
The Little Library was made possible through the generosity of the Chicago Reader, whose publisher Tracy Baim donated several out of circulation Reader boxes for the project. Upcycling Colors donated over a dozen boxes of books to furnish the library and get the project started. Refurbishment of the boxes was done by local resident Zosimo Melendez, who donated his time, energy and skills.
Photos: Tom Vlodek
Donate Books
WanLocal business Monarch Thrift Shop, (2866 N. Milwaukee Ave.) recently voted in our Best Thrift Shop 2019 Best of Logan Square, will donate children’s books for the LIttle Library. State Senator Iris Y. Martinez’s office (2921 N. Milwaukee Ave.) will serve as a drop off location for people wishing to donate books. Donations will be accepted every Wednesday (except holidays) during office hours starting June 5.
Want to donate to the library? Have some old books to spare? The council said those wishing to donate books for the Little Library are encouraged to contact UPAC at info@UnityParkChicago.org using the headline, “I HAVE BOOKS TO DONATE! or bring them to our book donation drop off location on a Wednesday.
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