Mentor Public Library's 'Free Little' Extensions to be Placed Around Town

The Mentor Public Library's reach around town is expanding — in a miniature fashion.

The library announced the creation of a "Free Little Library" at Mentor-on-the-Lake City Hall this week, with a dozen other locations in Mentor and Mentor-on-the-Lake soon to follow. The organization compares little libraries to community book exchanges, in which a resident can take a book from it and either keep it or return it.

The concept was developed by Wisconsin resident Todd Bol, who wanted to honor his mother, a school teacher and avid reader.

"This is just one more way the library is promoting reading — by reaching out to people who may never even cross our threshold," according to a statement from the library.

Here are the other locations people can expect to see little libraries:

• Mentor Dog Park
• Mentor Lagoons
• Wildwood Cultural Center & Park
• Morton Community Park pool
• Eleanor B. Garfield Park pool and playground
• Civic Center Park pool (Hopkins Road)
• Civic Center Park amphitheater
• Edward R. Walsh Park (Bellflower Road)
• Commemorative Rose Garden