ake it or leave it.

Or simply feel free to share it.

Those are the options that exist now that a Little Free Library with books that children and adults can take for reading is in place in Weissport.

Located outside Chantilly Goods on Bridge Street, the Little Free Library was installed recently by Jay Frey, owner of the business.

Sandy Kokinda, a former educator in Lehighton and member of the Weissport School Reunion Committee, said it provides an opportunity for families of the borough and surrounding areas to have easy access to books.

“As a child growing up in Weissport, I made numerous trips a weeks to check out books at the Lehighton Library,” Kokinda said. “That was a different time when it was safe to allow young children to be out and about on their own.”

The Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that promotes reading, builds community and sparks creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world.

Currently, more than 75,000 free libraries are registered in all 50 states and in 88 countries.

The caboose

Originally designed to look like a one-room school or a ‘house of books,’ the libraries can take on a wide variety of sizes, shapes, themes and other attributes.

Kokinda said the Little Free Library in Weissport was designed like a train caboose to tie it into the community.

“The caboose was chosen to represent the vital role the railroads played in the history of Weissport,” she said.

Enter Ed Mulligan, builder and designer of the Little Free Library, for whom woodworking is a hobby.

Mulligan said he received a call from Kokinda “asking if I could make a little free library for them.”

“She’d seen I had built and put up a little free schoolhouse for my sister on North Seventh Street, and Sandy said she’d like to put one over in Weissport,” Mulligan said. “They told me they wanted to get a caboose to go with the railroad theme.”

Mulligan noted that Weissport was built on railroading, and how it had the Jersey Central Lines.

“So, when I built the caboose, I had decals made for the top of the caboose for the Jersey Central Lines to try to make it a little bit more authentic to go with the theme they were looking for,” he said.

How it works

Kokinda said books can be placed back in the box for others to enjoy.

There is no cost to participate in the program, as all costs are covered by retired educators and other community members.

Mulligan, who retired in 2010 after 30 years of teaching, said he believes the Little Free Library is a great idea.

“I believe if you can read, you can do anything,” he said. “The idea is to try to get people reading more.”

Mulligan said there are books of many genres for adults and children.

“They can take a book, read it or pass it on to others,” he said. “It’s a way of sharing books; I think it works nice for people.”

Kokinda thanked the Weissport School Reunion, Carbon County chapter of PA Association of School Retirees, Western Pocono Association of Family & Consumer Sciences, Weissport Borough Council, Frey and Mulligan.

“I wanted to bring the opportunity to the children and families of Weissport,” she said. “I took on this endeavor because I felt strongly about giving back to Weissport by providing the opportunity to find enjoyment in reading by easy access to books.”