Little Free Library Has Found Its 'Perch' in Birmingham

Birmingham, MI — Riddle this:

Anyone, but let's just say it's Anne Honhart speaking: "Who's in the tree in the southeast corner of Barnum Park."

Anyone, but let's just say it's someone who likes to read: "I don't know, who?"

"What are you, an owl?"

"Yes."

"No, really, who's in the tree?"

"An owl."

"Who?"

"Right."

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Rather than belabor the point, here's the answer. "Who" isn't a person, but a sound the owl-shaped Little Free Library, Birmingham's first, would make if it suddenly came to life.

It won't, of course, except in the imaginations that may be stoked by what's inside the Little Free Library. And, of course, there's a lot of wisdom packed in what's inside, too.

If you're unfamiliar, "take a book, leave a book" is the principle behind the Little Free Library book exchange. Anyone may take a book or leave a book behind.

And now it's come to Birmingham, thanks to resident Anne Honhart, who presented the idea to the Birmingham Parks an Recreation Board and the City Commission this spring.

Friends of the Baldwin Public Library donated approximately 20 books for children of all ages to kick off the program.

• Birmingham Poised to Get First Little Free Library

The owl-shaped Little Free Library is located in the sanctuary of Barnum park near the southeastcorner.

The library plans a naming contest this fall to select a name for the Owl at Barnum Park.

Details will be released later, the city said in a news release.