Placer County To Celebrate Opening of Little Free Library of Distinction in Auburn Neighborhood

Published on April 28, 2014

The public is invited to attend a ceremony Wednesday, May 7 to celebrate Placer County’s newest Little Free Library. This Little Free Library, located in an Auburn neighborhood, has been recognized as a Little Free Library of Distinction for its unique design, creative outreach efforts, and the enthusiasm of its steward, Terri Goodman. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone can pick up a book and leave a book to share. According to Goodman, a retired school teacher who loved to read to her students, the Little Free Library in front of her home is a perfect way for her to continue to celebrate books and the enjoyment of reading. “I always told my students, ‘I could pitch a tent in a library and be happy the rest of my life,” she said.

This Little Free Library of Distinction is called Marianne’s Little Free Library, named for Terri Goodman’s dear friend Marianne, a former fellow teacher, who contracted Encephalitis and struggles with serious health issues as a result. “If ever there was anyone who deserves a library named after them, it is Marianne,” Terri said.

Miriam Chipp, President of the Literacy Support Council of Placer County, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise funds for the Placer Adult Literacy Services (PALS), said Little Free Libraries like the one in Terri Goodman’s front yard are beginning to appear throughout Placer County. Serving as an extension of local libraries these “take a book, return a book” kiosks offer multiple benefits for those who visit them, including providing a variety of reading material, and acting as a distribution site for information about literacy programs for people of all ages. “There are so many aspects to these little boxes,” Miriam Chipp said. “They are a great way to bring communities together and they also provide resources for people who want to learn to read.”

The ceremony celebrating Marianne’s Little Free Library will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the home of Terri Goodman at 215 Terrace Street in Auburn. The event is sponsored by the Placer County Library and Literacy Support Council of Placer County. A nonprofit group, Little Free Library Ltd., started the “Little Free Library” movement in 2009. Stewards typically oversee the operation of Little Free Libraries, but the public is encouraged to informally borrow and donate books.

For more information about the May 7 ceremony, please contact Placer County Director of Library Services, Mary George at 530-886-4550 or send an email.