Rotary Club donates Little Free Library to West Dundee

To promote literacy and education, the Dundee Township Rotary Club donated its first Little Free Library to West Dundee.

Residents are already taking, exchanging and donating books in the small structure that was installed at Huffman Park, 811 Tartans Drive, said Jim Bolz, the Rotarian who spearheaded the donation.

Since 2009, when the nonprofit Little Free Library organization was started by a Rotarian in Wisconsin, thousands of small libraries have popped up in towns nationwide. Bolz said they're usually placed in common areas to maximize community interaction.

The purpose, he said, is to fill the library with books so passers-by can take and refill them. Exchanged books can vary in reading level, genre and topic.

"It promotes a neat, feel-good, neighborhood spirit in your community," he said.

To start the project on the right foot, Bolz said, he and his wife donated about 45 books after village officials installed it less than two weeks ago. When he walked by a few days later, many had already been taken.

"It's serving its purpose," he said.

Rotary International has six areas of focus: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, growing local economies and supporting education. Bolz said the Dundee Township Rotary Club has a goal to complete one project per year in each area.

"(The Little Free Library) is just one of them that caught my fancy," Bolz said. "Obviously it fits right in with literacy, and we thought it'd be a great thing to do here in Dundee."

The Little Free Library organization offers dozens of different shapes, sizes and designs for libraries that can be purchased for various costs. Some are already made, while others can be built by the customers.

Using money raised from various fundraisers held throughout the year, Bolz said, the Rotary Club purchased the first pre-made library for about $370.

After seeing the success of the first library, Bolz said he is already looking to purchase a second one - but this time, he'll buy one to build himself.

"We're not done yet. We're going to keep building them," Bolz said. "It's a great project. It encourages people to read. Nothing wrong with that."