** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

Highlands Offers Three Little Free Libraries to Public

February 24, 2021

Highlands University carpenter Miguel Griego installs the first of three little free library boxes at the university’s Melody Park Feb. 23.  Photo: Sean Weaver, University Relations

Highlands University carpenter Miguel Griego installs the first of three little free library boxes at the university’s Melody Park Feb. 23.
Photo: Sean Weaver, University Relations

Las Vegas, N.M. – New Mexico Highlands University joined the worldwide little free library book sharing movement with three boxes installed on the Las Vegas campus Feb. 23 and Feb. 24.

The Highlands University little free library book boxes are located in parks on campus, including the west side of Melody Park, the west side of Central Park, and east of Centennial Park off of 8th Street.

“We are excited to provide these boxes to the community and ‘join the family’ of little free libraries,” said Linda Anderle, Highlands’ community liaison. “The public is invited to participate and make use of the little free libraries. All are welcome to bring a book and take a book in this exchange.”

Anderle spearheaded the little free library project at Highlands at the request of the university’s President Sam Minner. April Kent, head of public services at the university’s Donnelly Library, and Sylvia Baca, facilities services and planning director, also worked on the project.

“The primary goal of the little free library project is to provide more access to more books to the community and to inspire people to read more,” Kent said. “We want to encourage reading to help circulate a variety of books throughout the community.”

Kent said Donnelly Library is using donated books to start the selection. The little free libraries were stocked with books Feb. 24.

“To begin, there will be a mix of fiction and non-fiction titles for recreation reading and for enrichment. As participants take and leave books, the selection of titles will shift and expand. Donnelly Library staff will be monitoring the little libraries on campus and restocking as needed,” Kent said.

The wooden Highlands little free library boxes are painted purple and feature the Highlands logo. The Highlands Facilities Services Division installed the boxes, which are 12.75” wide, 16” tall and 15” deep with doors.

“We were so pleased to be brought into this project because the idea of having free books available to the community is at the very heart of what we are all about at the university,” Baca said. “We are here to spread and cultivate knowledge, and these books will certainly help us with this objective.”

All of Highlands University’s little free library boxes are registered with Little Free Library, a non-profit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in the form of a public bookcase.