LIHU‘E — When Eric Larson, the Lihu‘e Public Library acting branch manager, saw the concrete slab appear in the library’s parking lot, he knew something was going to happen.
“We’ve been wanting one of those free little libraries for a long time,” Larson said, Thursday when the Girls Scouts of Hawai‘i, and Rebecca Dingus and her family installed a little library. “It’s finally here.”
Rebecca created the Lihu‘e Little Free Library as a Girls Scout Bronze Award project, the third highest achievement level in the Girl Scouts of America program.
“It took a little longer than the amount of time we were allocated,” Rebecca said. “But after everything, it’s finally done. It’s here.”
Utilizing an old newspaper dispenser from The Garden Island newspaper, Rebecca negotiated through vacation schedules, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other family schedules to finally deliver the little library and an initial supply of books.
“We did a lot of talking,” said James Dingus, Rebecca’s father. “The Mayor’s Office, the different county departments, and the Kapa‘a Public Library because they have one installed near the bus stop and could answer questions about how everything operates.”
With the recycled newspaper dispenser as a base, Rebecca said the hardest part was the painting. She used seven different colors, and a black top eighth coat using a template created by artist Ted Harrison.
“We had to wait between the coats,” Rebecca said. “We couldn’t just put on the coats. It took a couple of days just to paint.”
Kelly Gentry, a Girl Scout advisor, said the scouts have been collecting books for a while, anticipating that the Lihu‘e Public Library would start a chain of little libraries for other parts of the island that don’t have one, and need one.
“We are back in school, in-person, this year,” said Angela Hoover of the Girl Scouts. “Our after school program is back on campus, and we can make sure the students can keep an eye on the Lihu‘e Free Public Library as well as borrow books and making sure there are books to borrow.”
