Ready for the First Day of School

The installation of the Little Free Library for 156th Street Elementary School took place this past Sunday. We loaded the library, wood supports, and bags of cement into the truck and made for our destination.

As with all construction projects, it seems, the process wasn’t without its hiccups. Upon arrival, we discovered we had no access to electricity or water. So how would we power the tools and mix the cement?

Our installer, ever prepared, had almost all tools running off of battery, but the cement mixing would now take place by hand. A couple of return trips home and the kindness of neighbors resolved most of the other setbacks.

With the quick-dry cement cured, the time came to install the post. That’s when we noticed the bolts and nuts used to stabilize it did not match. I was sure I purchased the right pairing. Argh! One last trip to the hardware store, an exchange of parts, and we were back in action.

The entire process took a bit under three hours. We returned in the afternoon to weatherproof the post and plant a few succulents around the new LFL.

Here are some pics from the installation:

This morning, we made a final trek back to campus to pack the LFL with books donated by the Friends of the Palisades Branch Library and Geoffrey’s Comics. The library is now brimming with new reads, awaiting the arrival of the children.

The Little Free Library, complete with exciting new reads, stands ready for the students at 156th Street Elementary.

Thank you to all of our donors, supporters, and friends for making this campaign a success. Here’s to a wonderful start to the school year for Ms. Dudley and the students at 156th Street Elementary.