BAKER — The Baker Block Museum is the latest North Okaloosa County location for a Little Free Library. Two of them, in fact.
The free book exchange boxes went up in August. One, loaded with children’s books, is at the rear of the museum’s Heritage Park near the Lil Gators Day Care.
“The one out back is shaped like a little school and there’s a lot of participation by the day care’s children,” museum Director Ann Spann said.
The other, for the general public, perches on the Heritage Park fence facing State Road 4.
“It’s being utilized by a lot of people in the community,” Spann said. “I think they’re understanding the concept now. At first they were like, ‘What is that?’”
Here are six reasons to visit the Baker Block Museum’s Little Free Libraries:
1. It’s National Literacy Month. September is the annual month to promote books and reading. As if book lovers needed an excuse.
2. It’s free. There’s no cost to borrow books, there’s no membership card needed, and no overdue book fines if you keep a book a bit too long. Return them when you’re finished or, if you really like one, you can keep it.
3. You can share your love of books. If you have books you’ve read and want to make room at home for new books, contribute the gently read ones to the Little Free Library.
4. It honors the legacy of Bertha Henry. In the 1940s, she started what today is the Crestview Public Library by lending her own books out of her home. Despite famously poor driving skills, according to the “Crestview: The Forkland” history, Miss Henry also tooled around North Okaloosa County in her green sedan with piles of books and magazines in the back seat to lend to rural readers.
5. It’s a great place to read. The Heritage Park, with its dogtrot house and other old buildings, is a peaceful place to settle down on the porch or under the oak tree with a Billy Bob burger from the Gator Café and a good book from the Little Free Libraries.
6. Did we mention they’re free? And they’re available 24/7. The general public Little Free Library is just across S.R. 4 from the Pic-N-Sav.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 6 reasons to visit Baker Block Museum’s Little Free Libraries