East High’s Librarian, Mrs. Holt, has put together a project, with student help, to build Little Free  Libraries around Everett Elementary School.  Everyone is working very hard and Mrs. Holt says, “This is going to be an awesome project!”  The following interview with Mrs. Holt gave us great insight on what’s going on.

Q: What is the Free Library Project at East?

A: It started last spring, when I got the idea, and I received a $2,500 grant to build them.  It teaches about the importance of reading and giving books to the less fortunate.

Q: How did you start?

A: We want to slowly build a relationship with the school that we are building it for.  East students have been volunteering at the school by going to the book fairs, a halloween party, and culture night.  We are hoping it will be finished by the end of this school year.

Q: How did you hear about the project?

A: Little Free Libraries is an international program.  I heard about it through social media and through my husband who built one for our neighborhood.

Q: What is the purpose of The Free Library?

A: It’s to put books into the hands of kids in need and for East students to get to know a different part of Lincoln.  The Little Free Library motto is; “Take a Book, Return a Book.”

Q: Who all does it help?

A: It helps improve poverty and illiteracy, it helps the students at East get involved in the community, it helps the students at Everett get new opportunities to read, and many others.

Q: Where is the location for The Free Library?

A: It will be near Everett Elementary School.  We aren’t able to build The Free Library on school grounds, so we have to find someone near Everett Elementary School who will let us build one on their property.  Hopefully, we’ll have two around the Elementary and one at a trailer park.  Each one will have 200 books in it with many different languages.

Q: How can others get involved?

A: The web site,

littlefreelibrary.org,  has lots of good information, and there’s a classroom people can join with the code: 5nynh5.