There is a new library opening up in Guelph, one that is a smaller and accessible to everyone in the community.
Community Living Guelph Wellington and People4People Self-Advocacy Group are having the grand opening of the Accessible Little Library on Monday.
The little library can be best described as an oversized mailbox but instead of letters or packages, the units contain shelves with books which can be read or borrowed free of charge.
It is the first such library in Guelph and what makes it different from other little libraries in the city, according to Karen Calzonetti, is that anyone can use it regardless of disabilities.
“We intentionally built something that is lower to the ground,” said Calzonetti, who is the engagement coordinator at CLGW. “We have made it quite colourful. The door has a pull handle so people can grab on to it.”
The accessible little library also has a bench for people to sit and read the books.
Work on the accessible little library began in early 2021 when a team at WITHology, a consulting group that specializes in inclusiveness, was trying to come up with ideas. They were joined by People4People in June 2022, which would later take over the project.
The library is located at 197 Dufferin Street near Earl Street east of Woolwich Street in Guelph.
“It is quite a nice community with bus stops. A lot of people are taking their pets out for walks after work, so a lot of people coming and going in the area,” said Michelle Maloney, an advisor at P4P. “Around the corner is a dead-end street and there is a walking path at the end of it.”
Maloney added that it took them a year to find a suitable location for the library.
As for what books and materials people will find in the accessible little library, Calzonetti hopes to have something for everyone.
“We will include books that have don’t have any text in them or picture books. We hope to get books that are three-dimentional,” Calzonetti said. “There are many for whom English is their second language.”
The library has been in operation for almost a month but the grand opening will take place on Dufferin Street at 10 a.m. Monday and everyone is invited.
A preview of the accessible little library can be found here.