The Rotary Club of Belvoir-Wodonga is sharing the joy of reading with more than a dozen little libraries popping up across the city.
In a collaboration with the Wodonga Men’s Shed and Wodonga Senior Secondary College VCAL students, Rotary members have adopted a library, maintaining and restocking the street library in their neighbourhood.
Members of the Wodonga Men’s Shed created and designed the bespoke library boxes while the VCAL students worked together on creative designs for each box.
The initiative has been driven by Rotary member George Bedson and his wife Jan and with 13 little libraries already rolled out, they are now looking for a few more people to adopt a library.
“With World Rotary Literacy Month held in October, this was one way we could get involved locally,” Mr Bedson said.
“It has been a really positive and heart-warming experience with lots of positive feedback and people embracing and using the libraries.
“It’s another way of advancing literacy in our community and is our way of making a positive impact in our community.”
Wodonga Mayor Cr Kev Poulton praised the initiative as a way of making neighbourhood connections.
“We know, after the challenging 18 months we have been through, the importance of making connections in your community and your neighbourhood,” Cr Poulton said.
“Picking up a good book, reading and sharing is one way to start a conversation and make that connection with those living in your area.
“And this is a fantastic collaboration between different organisations in our community, using their individual strengths for a great community outcome.
“I look forward to seeing more little libraries in streets right across the city.”
The community is encouraged to reach in and take what interests them. When they are done, they can return them to the street library network or pass them on to someone else. They can also add books to the any street library they happen to be walking past.
