A couple years ago Tom and Amy Quinn saw a collection of books in a mini weatherproof structure on Washington Avenue in Northampton. It was a neighborhood Little Free Library. Tom went to the Littlest Free Library website, liked what he read. The first library was built in 2009 in Hudson, Wisconsin by the son of a school teacher. Todd Bol built his miniature one room schoolhouse library in honor of his mother who loved reading. The positive response and genuine interest in his healthy community experiment soon gave way to the larger goal of helping others build free book exchanges in their own neighborhoods. By the end of 2013 there will be more than 10,000 Little Free Libraries in communities around the world!

Tom Quinn was inspired and purchased a charter for $35.00 with hopes of building a mini library for his Leeds neighborhood. He had in mind just the right structure to use for it. Years ago, Tom’s dad, George Quinn asked his friend, Dean Williams, to build him a large two decker bird house that had a spacious open gazebo lower level and up top a snug peaked room for birds to nest. This beauty of a birdhouse stood in George’s yard on Front Street until after his death. Now it was to have a new purpose. Tom and his brother, Eddie, renovated the birdhouse by adding Plexiglass windows and a large front door and topped it off with a copper roof. Tom Quinn’s creativity and sense of community is a fine tribute to both his dad, George, and his dad’s friend, the original craftsman, Dean, both long time Leeds residents, now gone, yet not forgotten.

Leeds Little Free Library is located at 57 Upland Road at the road’s edge and is open to the public. Kids and adults can drop off a donated book and/or take a book to read. To learn more about the Little Free Library project visit: LittleFreeLibrary.org