Coley’s Point woman hopes library promotes togetherness

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bay Roberts is among the growing number of towns seeing citizens start their own free little libraries.

The latest one, located on Neck Road in Coley’s Point, was placed there by Amber Stuckless, and is offering books free to the public to share. Stuckless moved to Bay Roberts from St. John’s in 2016 when she was pregnant with her first child. The youth care worker, who commutes to St. John’s and frequently works 24-hour and 48-hour shifts, sees the library as a way of giving back to her new home community.

Little free libraries are certified libraries that can be registered online through the Little Free Library organization. 

“It’s just a little bookcase out in the community where people can go and take a book and leave a book,” explained Stuckless. “They don’t even have to leave a book. It’s just a space to share literature.” 

Stuckless said some sources report Little Free Libraries increase a sense of safety in their areas. 

“It does make sense for me to see that because, when we see places like the humble little bookshelf, it does feel cozy and it does feel like a warm little hug,” said Stuckless. “So, when something’s free like this I can understand that it would create that sense of safety.”

The library is located by Coley’s Point Playground. The library is not associated with the Town of Bay Roberts but, as it is in a public location, Stuckless contacted the Town for permission to place it there. 

“So, it’s not affiliated with Bay Roberts, but they were kind enough to be okay with me putting this up,” said Stuckless. 

Anyone in the community can avail themselves of the library, which contains baby books, Newfoundland books, graphic novels, romance novels, reference books, murder mysteries and other genres. People can also leave any books they wish at the library. Books suitable for young readers, such as tweens and adolescents, are especially welcome.

Those who maintain Little Free Libraries are called stewards. Stuckless has a co-steward who checks on the library and helps tidy up the books. “It’s so helpful to have young people in the community just check up and have that sense of belonging or that sense of agency when it comes to what’s around in their communities,” said Stuckless. “Just promoting the idea of community and working together. So, it’s not a ‘me’ project, it’s a ‘we’ project. I want to put it out there and it can be self-sustained through the community. I’m a big fan and advocate of community work and volunteer work, as well, and also the bigger picture of community and what that means to us, that’s a big passion of mine. It starts with the little free library, but we’re hoping to evolve it into some bigger projects that involves the folks here in CBN.” 

Stuckless has another idea in mind; a free pantry, which she has seen in bigger communities. “You just have non-perishables in the pantry, built much like a little free library, folks would come and take if they need or they could leave something,” she said. 

Stuckless is not sure if that project would be conducted jointly with the Town or done privately. She is also intrigued by other free community exchanges she has seen, including little free art galleries and little free seed exchanges. Stuckless currently has bee-friendly wildflowers seeds at her little free library that visitors can take.

Stuckless said it is important that everyone do service work in some form, whether through their paid work or outside it. “I think it’s the seed of happiness,” she said.