A ribbon cutting for three "Little Libraries" will take place at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 on the Breezeway Restorative Trail located behind The Fountains at Gateway. The public is invited to check out the Little Libraries and find a book to borrow.

Books are borrowed and returned from the Little Libraries on the honor system. Read to Succeed, a literacy initiative in Rutherford County, is supplying the books to keep the Little Library shelves stocked.

What started as an idea for John Summar’s Eagle Scout project turned into a collaboration between Summar, Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Better Boro Project, Cultural Arts, Read to Succeed, Andrea Loughry and the Rutherford Arts Alliance (RAA), Murfreesboro Poet Laureate Kory Wells, and writing students from Central Magnet School.

Summar, a Siegel High senior, is a Boy Scout in Troop 398, housed at St. Marks United Methodist Church. Summar designed and built the Little Libraries then turned them over to young artists to paint.

Sarah Oppmann, a 2019 graduate of Blackman High School, is one of the artists selected to paint a Little Library. Oppmann created the Youth Advisory Committee of RAA as part of her Senior Capstone and Girl Scout Gold Award. She said she created the Youth Advisor Committee, “so that the younger people would have a voice about what they believe needs to be done to help the arts in our community.” 

Central Magnet Junior, Mira Patel and Central Magnet Senior Chase Loughry painted the other two libraries. 

RAA’s Andrea Loughry worked with the Youth Advisory Committee to design sketches for the Library designs. Oppman’s design was selected to hold poetry books. The poem, “Rain”, written by Central Magnet student Chelsea Butner as a class project, was selected to appear on the side of the Little Library. The poetry project became the collaborative book, Just Poems. The book may be downloaded for free on Kindle, or a hard copy may be purchased at Amazon.com.

The mission of Read to Succeed is to improve lives in Rutherford County by offering free literacy programs and events for adults and children. 

Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to providing vibrant public spaces and inclusive programs delivered with visionary leadership and caring staff that engage the individual and strengthen the quality of life of our community.