There’s a library at Cultus Lake.
It’s smaller than your average library, you don’t need a library card, and you can only peek into the building.
Our Little Free Library launched Wednesday outside a private residence at the lake. From the brick-red exterior to the front porch, from the upstairs balcony to the shingles, the library matches the actual residence to a tee. It sits on a pole right in front of the home on Hemlock Street.
“It’s very cute,” says Amber Price, owner of the home and founder of the little library.
Price, who’s the owner of The Book Man, and her husband, recently had their small cottage home built by Gerry Enns Contracting (GEC) at Cultus Lake. Price thought it would be a nice addition for them to build an exact replica of their cottage to be used as a library.
“There’s so much little detail. All the hand-cut shakes, the siding, the window trims. It’s actually pretty close to scale,” says Alan Giesbrecht with GEC.
“This is the first time working on something like this for me,” says Randy Collins, also with GEC, who built the library. “It was a really fun little project.”
It took him just eight days to build it.
The sign on the library reads “Our Little Free Library. Take a book, and/or, leave a book.” Go around to the back of the library where you open a door to find dozens of books for people of all ages. It’s mostly fiction, and includes picture books, kids books, mystery and more.
The ‘Little Free Library’ movement began in 2009 in Wisconsin. Since then, they’ve been popping up everywhere.
Price got the idea to have a little free library outside her new home when she heard about one that was added to a park in Garrison Crossing.
The Book Man also supplies reading material for little free libraries run by Abbotsford and Chilliwack Rotaries. Plus, the store has its Read While You Wait program in waiting rooms throughout Chilliwack, such as in doctors’ offices and banks.
Why not have a little free library at Cultus Lake, thought Price.
“There wasn’t one up here, and there’s lots of summer traffic, and lots of kids in the neighbourhood,” she says. “People walk around in the evenings here — walking their dogs and coming back from the beach. I think its eye-catching and people will notice it.”
The stock will be rotated as often as needed. And it doesn’t bother Price if the books never get returned.
“As long as the books are going to a good home, I don’t mind,” she adds. “That’s the beauty of used books, they have had many, many owners over their years.”
Our Little Free Library is located on Hemlock Street in Cultus Lake. Look for the little, red cabin in front of the big, red cabin. You can’t miss it.