Happy Valley Little Free Library – A Community Service.

A Record Searchlight article, dated June 21, 2015, had this as its by-line: “Add one more Little Free Library on the Shasta County map." The article shared the story of the “Grand Opening" of the Happy Valley Little Free Library which included a ribbon cutting by past and present county supervisors, children's activities, refreshments and of course, the giving away of books.

The "HVLFL" had been open for business for a month and locals had already discovered this new addition on the Clear Creek Community Services District property.

That date more than three years ago represented the culmination of a goal - a dream I had to help bring a community together through the sharing of books. l want to thank the CCCSD board for helping make this dream come true. I believe all agree that it has provided a positive impact on the community and the water district during the last three years.

After 40+ years, my husband and I are relocating closer to our daughter. We are moving to a small town outside of Portland. Among the many "closure” responsibilities I have undertaken, has been to attempt to locate a new “steward” for our LFL.

The couple who have been able to step in and help with the library if I was out of town for an extended period of time, cannot take on the responsibility of stewardship full time. I left a note in the LFL, asking community members if someone would like to "take over'', but at this point, there are no takers.

We will likely be moving within a month or so. If there is no one to take over the stewardship duties, I will take the books to the county library book store, where they will be recycled once again into the community through book sales. But the LFL shelves will be empty.

I hope that someone can step forward and become our community Little Free Library Steward. If so, I will be honored and happy to turn over the official LFL stamp!

Thank you again for allowing me to contribute a little to our community and check one off my bt1cket list!

Sheila Barnes

Happy Valley Little Free Library "Steward." Responsibilities:

What I Do:

Approximate labor time:

- Restocking/Rearranging/Collecting: Average times per month: 2

- Shelving excess books/stamping new books: Average times per month: 2

*I restock every other month at the bi-monthly county library book sale. Approximate time for this (driving there, choosing books, and returning home: 3 hours

Approximate cost:

My decision was to take advantage of the county library bi monthly book sale. I wanted to contribute locally and county-wise, often mature readers leave one book or more in our LFL. Most younger readers often have not. So usually, my time foraging at the library book sale has been for younger, rather than mature readers. I still would look for titles of books that I thought might be appealing to our mature reader community. Average out of pocket cost for me was usually less than $10.00 for a full box of books. (I share with the library staff and volunteers that I have a LFL,)

DUTIES:

Keep LFL clean and tidy.

- Separate "new" (unstamped) shared books from currently stamped LFL books (these are taken home to be stamped with the official LFL stamp

- Rearrange and reorganize books on each of the shelves - 'Younger Readers &

Mature Readers - trying to separate books by appropriate age level as much as possible. I also always bring books from my LFL storage shelf so I can take the opportunity to restock by moving books around or removing books that have been on the shelf for a while and replacing these with different books. I can always

reintroduce the currently unpopular titles at a later date.

- I do not censor, but I do remove religious tracts for particular churches or faiths. I also remove political flyers about specific candidates or propositions. LFL libraries do not advertise any particular religious or political beliefs.

- I choose to remove magazines. I believe if this LFL starts allowing magazines, it could become overwhelmingly problematic.

- Stamp new books with the official LFL stamp and store books until it is time to put them on the LFL shelf.