The public library now isn't the only place for residents of the Village to pick up new books.

Niagara-on-the-Lake council unanimously approved a plan to install two Little Libraries in the Village, at the request of the Village Community Association.

“We have three of them in Niagara-on-the-Lake on private property. They’re quite busy and always full,” Lord Mayor Betty Disero told council Monday.

The two new Little Libraries are now up and full of books.

The initiative has been labelled as a pilot project by the town so it can see how it goes before committing to doing the same in other neighbourhoods.

A Little Library is like a bird house for books and are placed in strategic locations in communities.“Little Libraries are little boxes or houses that contain a collection of books for sharing,” Village Community Association vice-president Ardeth Staz told council.

“The collection changes over time as residents take or add a book.”

In this case, the Little Libraries will be placed near the Village's mailboxes. The association asked that they be placed on the posts that support the pergolas around the mailboxes, instead of installing new posts.

“You provide the posts and we'll do the rest,” said Staz.

Staz led the initiative to contribute to the warm sense of community she says she has experienced in NOTL since moving into the Village a year and a half ago.

“I quickly learned how welcoming and friendly and caring the people in NOTL are,” she said.

“I was more than willing to take forward a project that would add to that sense of community.”

The project has been endorsed by the public library, which views it as “promoting literacy,” Staz said.

The Little Libraries include flyers to promote the public library's extended services.

Due to worries about COVID, the libraries also have hand-sanitizing stations attached to them.