Little Free Library opens in Summerport Village

Take a book; return a book.

That’s the motto of Little Free Library, a nonprofit organization that provide public book collections for children in neighborhoods all over the world. Anyone can start a Little Free Library; all it takes is a love of learning and watching children grow.

Cynthia Wilkins Dailey and Carolina Faber started West Orange County’s newest Little Free Library, located in the Summerport community of Horizon West. They are currently raising money to order a permanent box to house the books, but for now, children are welcome to browse the collection from 10 a.m. to noon every Saturday at ScribbleSpace. During open hours, there are also crafts and storytime. 

Faber has organized the books and labeled them by reading level, so it is easy for parents to guide their children toward books that are appropriate for them.

“That’s kind of an added bonus. … The typically Little Free Library box wouldn’t have that,” Dailey said. “This will have some organization to it, so when they come look at the whole selection, we have them grouped by those levels.”

Faber also will be offering her collection of children’s books in Portuguese in a mobile Little Free Library intended for children of Brazilian origin. She said 7% to 10% of children in some of the local elementary schools speak Portuguese.

“I think there are a lot of children that could benefit from (these books),” Faber said.

To donate books in English or Portuguese or funds for Summerport’s Little Free Library box, stop by Scribble Space, contact Dailey by sending a message to Summerport Village Little Free Library on Facebook or call Faber at (407) 538-3831.

Other Locations

Axum Coffee, 146 W. Plant St., Winter Garden

Annie Alvarez decided to start a Little Free Library at Axum Coffee based on the shop’s commitment to donating its profits to worldwide medical care, education, orphan care and more. At a corporate scale, Little Free Library donates books to children in Africa, so it was a “match made in heaven,” Alvarez wrote on her blog, Annie A to Z. 

ScribbleSpace, 13790 Bridgewater Crossings Blvd., Windermere

The stewards of this Little Free Library will soon have a permanent box in front of the Summerport businesses to house the books. For now, hundreds of books are available for browsing Saturday mornings at ScribbleSpace.

West Orange Recreation Center, 309 S. West Crown Point Road, Winter Garden

The West Orange Boys and Girls Club manages this Little Free Library, which typically has about 25 books. Many of the books are in the “Curious George” series. “Our members really enjoy using it, and I feel it has helped improve many of their reading and comprehension skills,” service director Nicco Palermo said. 

Bay Hill (coming Dec. 2015), 9035 Easterling Drive, Orlando

Matt FitzGibbon is building a Little Free Library for his wife, Shelley, as her Christmas gift. Shelley is the steward of a Little Free Library at her parents’ home in Sebring and wanted to have one at her Dr. Phillips home, as well. It will be open to the public after Christmas.