By Dominique Tassell
Little libraries; they’ve been popping up across the Southern Downs for a while now, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing where your nearest one is.
Three of the six this newspaper has located in the region are the work of the Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise.
The first of the Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise’s little libraries was installed at Mile End Park in November 2020. Since then, two more have popped up in Leslie Park and Maryvale. While the Mile End library was injured in an altercation with a lawnmower, it’s been back in action for a couple of months now.
President Peter Rodeck says their libraries are a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise and the Warwick Men’s Shed.
He says one of their members, Trevor Schrader, was also a part of the men’s shed.
They saw that the libraries had been successful elsewhere and thought it might be a good opportunity for the community here.
Peter says the libraries have been well used, and while they do have to tidy them up from time to time they’ve found most people do take a book and return one.
“People do return books as well, so it’s not one-track traffic,” he says.
Each little book library has a member of Rotary looking after it, occasionally restocking and tidying up.
Peter says they built five little libraries, so have two available which would love a good home.
The home has to be in a public space and needs people nearby to check in on it.
Anyone interested can get in touch with the Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise.
Peter says the project was made possible by a whole lot of people, including
The men’s shed for construction, David Webber at SDRC for organising and checking locations, Shelley Industries for supplying the posts, Carey Burt at Zuma Signs for supplying the signs, Rotarians Trevor Schrader, Sandra Head, Sheryl Featherstone, Dave Kemp, Sandy Gordan, and many others.
Ballandean School also has their own little library, which they call the Book Exchange.
Principal Susan Evans says the exchange was a suggestion from the 2021 and 2022 Ballandean State School student leaders.
She says the kids have been very involved with the project, checking on the exchange and making sure it’s stocked.
Susan says the school is in the process of printing flyers, paid for by the P&C, so they can put them in local accommodation and make sure visitors feel welcomed and have something to read.
“As our community is not close to the library, we wanted to give adults and young adults within our community access to a range of books to borrow and read,” Susan says.
“Reading is an important skill and a learning priority within our school.”
During the pandemic, Southern Downs Regional Council restricted the borrowing of books, which also prompted the decision to create the Book Exchange.
The exchange is located at the Ballandean General Store, and Susan stressed it’s open to the entire community.
If you have books to donate, please drop them at the school office.
Locals have also made their own little libraries, such as the ones found in Pioneer Park at Swanfels, and at Mount Colliery.
You can find a little library at the following locations:
• Mile End Park
• Leslie Park
• Maryvale Hall
• Baker Road, Mount Colliery
• Pioneer Park, Swanfels
• Ballandean General Store
