January 18, 2023
By:
A Little Free Library has been established in memory of Brenda Smith Hooper by her four grandsons.
Nana Brenda, as she was affectionately known, passed away recently but will always be remembered as the loving and caring grandmother to Aiden and Emmett, and Owen and Landon Hooper. Brenda was always eager to spend time with her grandchildren, and her love for them was evident in everything she did. Brenda’s passing leaves a void in their hearts, but the memories of all the love she had will live on forever. No doubt, they will grow up to be bookworms just like her.
The Little Free Library movement began in 2009 when Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin built a model of a one room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, a former teacher who loved reading. He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. Neighbors and friends loved the idea and asked for their own “Little Libraries” so Todd built several more and gave them away. The movement quickly gained popularity and today there are over 100,000 Little Free Libraries in over 90 countries around the world. The goal of the Little Free Library movement is to promote literacy and a love of reading by making books accessible to everyone in a community. The libraries are typically small, freestanding boxes that contain a selection of books that are available for anyone to take or leave a book.
Brenda was a huge lover of reading and she spent 18 years on the Justin Potter Library Board. She was always striving to promote literacy in her community. The library is a way for people to continue sharing Brenda’s love of books and is open for anyone to take or leave a book. It’s a beautiful tribute to Brenda, who was an avid reader herself and is surely missed by her family and friends.
The Little Free Library is located on the southwest corner of Ann S. and Joe L. Evins Park, diagonal from Justin Potter Library. This library was approved by the Joe L. Evins Foundation.