What look like birdhouses with pitched roofs sitting on posts around Borderland are attracting a lot of attention. But not from the birds.

Inside five wooden boxes placed around International Falls and Ranier are about two dozen books for all ages to take, read and return. Anyone the community who wants to read is welcome to participate in the project.

“It's about encouraging people to read,” said Mary Casanova, a local author and one of the masterminds behind the effort.

Little Free Libraries is the brainchild of Todd Bol, Hudson, Wis. The wooden, windowed boxes are now popping up all over the United States, including at five local locations – City Beach, Ranier Community Building, Shorewood Park, Riverside Park and one along County Road 20.

The libraries work on a honor system and sport a sign “Take a Book, Leave a Book,” and readers of all ages can borrow a book to read and return, as well as leave a book of their own.

“It's truly a nice project,” said Ranier Mayor Dennis Wagner. “You could just wrap your arms around it and give it a hug.”

Promoting love of reading

Ideas over a glass of wine swirled between local authors Casanova and Sheryl Peterson, who had heard about Little Free Libraries and thought it would be welcomed by the Borderland communities.

“We thought it would be a fun idea,” Casanova said.

With the support of their husbands to help launch the project, Casanova and Peterson approached a mutual family friend, Bill “Huntz” Wagner, to see if he would construct the little libraries.

“With those two ladies asking you, what can you say?” Huntz Wagner said with laugh.

After building the libraries, he and his wife, Marlene, decided to keep one at their County Road 20 home.

“A lot of children ride up and down the road on their bicycles,” Wagner said. “They're excited about this.”

Local stewards

Peterson said she and Casanova had the goal to launch the local effort and hand some of the responsibility to people who would serve as attendants of the libraries.

Lindsey Goulet, Dennis Wagner's daughter, stepped up to serve as one of those stewards.

“It's exciting,” Goulet said.

Casanova said Goulet's enthusiasm is “exactly what is needed for a project like this.”

Goulet said she is hopeful that area residents who participate in the project visit the Little Free Libraries website, www.littlefreelibrary.org, where they can share a book on Voyaguers National Park or one of Casanova's about the Borderland area.

“What a better way to market our area than through story,” she said. “The more ways we can find to market our area the more creative solutions we will generate to come out a stronger community.”

Launch party

Goulet and other organizers of the project are hoping to get as many people involved and are spreading the word through a “Bring a book or a buck” launch party from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday at City Beach.

The event encourages community members to bring a quality used book or $1 in exchange for a meal.

“Anyone is invited to come,” Goulet said. “The more the merrier.”

She stressed that the libraries belong to everyone in the community and hopes the idea will catch on.

"Anyone can register a library," Peterson said. "It isn't something that is limited to us."

“It is for everyone,” Casanova added. “We hope to promote literacy while bringing the community together.”