MPHPL Book Box Open to the Community All Year
MPHPL Book Box Location:
- Hillis Hans Park 600 E. 13th Street, Mishawaka
The Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library Community Book Box is open yearlong to serve the public, 24/7, with no strings attached. The project was completed in the spring of 2021 and has been available for the community ever since.
The MPHPL Community Engagement staff stops by the book box a few times each month to tidy things up and restock the box when reading materials are running low.
The book box is a former South Bend Tribune newspaper box. MPHPL was able to purchase the box and refurbish it into a mini library that allow anyone to pull open the door and access various reading materials for all ages all year. “Accessibility to books is key. We want to provide access to books for our entire community, whether it is in the library, online with the use of our digital apps or at our book box,” said Community Engagement Coordinator Stephanie Maggart.
The project was made possible with a team of library staff members, the City of Mishawaka’s Parks & Recreation Department and business owner David Nufer, who all had the vision to inspire readers and create access to books.
MPHPL Director of Patron Services Jennifer Ludwig said, “It is important that everyone in our community has easy access to books. This project allows us to take books and magazines that have been withdrawn from our library collection and give them a new home. The book box provides a convenient way to share materials with our community.”
Ludwig said that seeing the project come to fruition was extremely rewarding for staff. “In May 2021, we had a ribbon-cutting event at Hillis Hans Park where the book box was placed. Our hope is that our MPHPL Book Box inspire readers. People can find a cozy spot at the park to read during nice weather, or they can always take a book home and return it when they are done so others can do the same,” said Ludwig.
MPHPL thanks the Mishawaka Parks & Recreation Department for their partnership and for installing the book box in their park. A special thank you to David Nufer, the owner of Burton’s Laundry & Dry Cleaning, for sponsoring the vinyl wrap on the book box.