Members of the community in and around Warren, Center Line, and St. Clair Shores will have access to free books promoting financial literacy lessons, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, self-confidence, showing kindness, and other uplifting subjects when they visit one of five new Small Community Libraries dedicated to the cities by Extra Credit Union in Warren.
Extra Credit Union is dedicating one of Warren’s Little Free Libraries during a Summer Reading Program Kick-off Celebration at noon on Saturday, June 19 at Veterans Memorial Park. There will be crafts, activities, popsicles, and giveaways for kids available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members of the Library Commission will be in attendance, as well as officers from the Friends of the Warren Public Library. Interested attendees can RSVP to the library by calling (586) 574-4564.
Access to books and libraries is important in every community to encourage the love of reading for residents of all ages. The addition of Little Free Libraries in the City of Warren will provide our residents access to free reading materials and encourage reading and sharing of books in our community. Children will enjoy visiting the local parks of Warren and finding a new book to read during their visit.
Each of the libraries, which resemble a large wooden birdhouse on a post, holds dozens of books. The idea is for visitors to take a book of interest and to bring it back or pass it on to friends or family who would also enjoy reading it. Members of the community can also bring their own books to share by placing them in the library for others to take home.
“Extra Credit Union was started by a group of teachers in Warren more than 65 years ago, so it’s important for us to continue to give back to our local community, while also holding true to that legacy,” said Ruthann Varosi, Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Extra Credit Union. “Credit Unions are all about people helping people and this is another way for us to help educate those young and old with financial literacy and other important life lessons, as well as building their character and helping them to develop a love for reading.”
The libraries were placed in locations where members of the local community may not have easy access or a means to get to a local library branch. Locations include: Veterans Memorial Park and Wiegand Park in Warren; Lions Park in Center Line; and Kaufman Park and Kyte Monroe Park in St. Clair Shores.
The Small Community Libraries project was a true community effort organized by the credit union. The effort began with a grant for $1,750 from the Michigan Credit Union Foundation, then the commissioning of a Center Line High School teacher, Jaime Bellos, to create the libraries, and working with each city to determine locations and city librarians to offer their expertise in book titles.
The libraries, as well as brand new books to fill each, cost approximately $3,900. Varosi said Extra Credit Union plans on expanding the project by adding a few more libraries in various locations throughout the local community each year.
