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| Students and staff, from left, Dana Randall, Carissa Renken and Shannon Jorgenson, are excited about the new Little Free Library and encourage families to use it. |
Shannon Jorgenson is always looking for ways to promote reading and books for youngsters. So when the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teacher heard about the Little Free Library program, she wanted to make it happen in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191.
She contacted the co-founder Todd Bol and received a grant for the project. Preschool-age students "helped" construct the Little Free Library and then decorated it with their painted handprints. It was installed on Jan. 10 outside the ECSE building in Diamondhead Education Center, 202 W. Burnsville Parkway. It is the first in Burnsville and approximately the 20th in the Twin Cities. Others are located throughout the world.
"We are so excited about having this at our building for the whole community to benefit from," said Jorgenson, who grew up in the school district and graduated from Burnsville High School.
The Little Free Library looks like a small house. Jorgenson has filled it with books donated by a publisher. The whole idea is that families can "give and take" books as they wish. There is no need to check out books and no due dates for their return. Families can keep books as long as they like. Donated books are always welcomed and can simply be left in the Little Free Library.
"The goal is to provide convenient access to books so families read more," said Jorgenson, who envisions families grabbing a book or two whenever they come to school.
She hopes to add Little Free Libraries at the other two early childhood education sites — the Hamilton Building in Savage and at Rahn Elementary School in Eagan. For more information, go to www.littlefreelibrary.org.
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