“I wanted a Little Free Library in our town for a long time,” said Brooke Beschorner, chapter steward for the Moorland Community Little Free Library. “Once my daughter was old enough to really start appreciating and loving reading, we would drive to Callender and Gowrie to check out books from their libraries. But I wanted something close to home that the entire town of Moorland could use and enjoy.”

The libraries, fashioned from old newspaper stands from The Messenger, are located on the corner of Main Street and Second Street West, in the parking lot of Messerly Daycare in Moorland.

Beschorner’s Little Free Library project was just an idea, but when community members learned of the potential project, they quickly joined in to help and to donate books.

“The Moorland City Council was incredibly supportive and willing to help,” said Beschorner. “In talking with them, they agreed that the perfect placement would be at the corner where the bus stop is and where the daycare is located. Rhonda Messerly, with Messerly Daycare, was on board right away, too. She was willing to give up a small section of her property to let the libraries sit.”

-Submitted photo
Bristol Beschorner helps to log in books that have been donated to the Moorland Little Free Library project.

Community members also volunteered to help to transform the newspaper vendor stands into beautiful tiny libraries.

“I wanted to give something old and abandoned a new use and a new home,” said Beschorner. “The Messenger was a big part of my career when I was younger and is something that is still appreciated today. I contacted Grant Gibbons and he had two old and non-working newspaper stands that we could use. Brock Smith and his son, Ethan, sandblasted and put a nice new coat of paint on the stands. Siece Pearson brought her artistic talents and created the beautiful doodles on the libraries. Our community has really created something wonderful with the Little Free Libraries.”

More than 250 books of all genres have been donated since the Little Free Libraries were opened, with more being donated every week.

“Anyone is welcome to come and take books or to donate,” said Beschorner. “I know the motto of the Little Free Libraries is take a book, share a book,” but as far as I’m concerned if you want a book to read and aren’t able to donate one, please still take a book.”

A Facebook group titled “Moorland Community Little Library” has been created with the goal of keeping area residents up-to-date on books that are currently in the libraries, donation needs, and even during the recent Banned Book Week, discussed why some books created controversy.

-Submitted photo
The artwork on one of the Little Free Libraries is shown here. Siece Pearson brought her artistic talents and created the beautiful doodles on the libraries.

“I hope this is something that gets used for years and years to come,” said Beschorner. “Reading is such a huge and vital part of growing up and I really want the youth in this town to have access to books all the time. I know as an adult, reading has been a great escape.”