Little Free Library Coming to Newburgh

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Book stores have always been a favorite pastime of mine. Every time I visit a new city I find myself making a stop in a local bookstore and buying something for the trip home. Nantucket, San Francisco, Santo Domingo, Paris, London, Barcelona, Buenos Aires – they are all places I have vacationed, and they are all places I have visited a local book store or stall.

Not every community can support a bookstore, and so about two years ago I found out about Little Free Libraries popping up around the entire world. You can find them in rural towns and major cities. I have mentioned many times my desire to see a bookstore in downtown Newburgh. And while that might still be premature, a Little Free Library is completely feasible. And soon one will be installed at Safe Harbors Green, at the corner of Broadway and Liberty Street.

I contacted local carpenter, Stephen Sinnott, to see if he would be willing to build a simple small library for a fee. Stephen not only built it free of charge, but also built one of the most stately Little Free Libraries I have ever seen! All of the materials used to build the library were free of charge. The lumber came from Space Create, the copper roof from ABC Supply and Stephen reused 100 year old windows he found from a Balmville carriage house. Inside there is a rotating book shelf and a whimsical door knocker on the side.

The library will be installed when benches have finally been placed in the park, sometime mid-October. What is a Little Free Library anyway? They are kiosks that hold free books to promote literacy and a love for reading. You can take a book and leave a book, which I highly encourage you to do!

This library is something truly special and unique to Newburgh. I would like to send my heartfelt appreciation to Stephen for being so willing and available to build the library and to Safe Harbors of the Hudson for finding a place for it.

There are other active library projects in Newburgh at the Newburgh Free Library and the Fullerton Mansion. Newburgh is also home to many published writers, open mic nites, Thornwillow Press and a poetry reading is happening at Ms. Fairfax this Saturday. Who knows, perhaps a pop-up book shop is in Newburgh’s future?

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