Little Free Library in Hamilton

A small ribbon-cutting ceremony caused a big stir on the corner of Grosvenor Ave and Sherbrooke St. in Hamilton on Sunday.

Residents in the quiet neighbourhood mingled, while bagpipes played just before the cutting of a thin, red ribbon.

Once cut, the crowd cheered.

The greater Hamilton area now has their fifth ‘Little Free Library.’

The reasoning behind the ‘Little Free Library,’ which started in 2010, was to promote literacy and the love of reading books,

How it works is simple. Like any library, these miniature sized libraries are filled with a verity of books. If you see any book that interests you, feel free to take it. Without any late fees, the community returns the books and can also contribute books from their personal library at home to add to the ‘Little Free Library.’

The newest steward to the ‘Little Free Library’ is Derk Steenblik and Gary Payne, who are both excited have the tiny library on their front lawn.

“This library sits on my front lawn, but it’s not ours. It’s the community’s,” Steenblik said “it belongs to the people in the neighbourhood and it’s for the people in the neighbourhood to use, share, learn and grow together as a community.”

There are more than 2,500 libraries around the world, the most recent one can be found at 183 Grosvenor Avenue South in Hamilton.