1 of 2
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Evie Grace Coker selects book for her lending library in Meadow Brook, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025.
2 of 2
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Evie Grace Coker opens the door of her lending library in Meadow Brook, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025.
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Evie Grace Coker shows off the signs for her lending library in Meadow Brook, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025.
Evie Grace Coker, a sixth grader living in Meadow Brook, maintains a Little Free Library in her front yard.
Coker became an avid reader at a young age with the encouragement of her mother, Keri. Now, it's her favorite hobby.
“I don’t have to assign her reading for her to do it,” Keri Coker said.
Coker’s grandfather gifted the lending library to her for Christmas, along with overflowing boxes of donated books from her friends and family.
Little Free Libraries work by allowing passersby to take a book of their choosing and prompting them to bring one back if they have one they wish to donate. While many of these public boxes fall into disrepair, Coker’s library is thoughtfully curated and well-maintained.
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Evie Grace Coker's lending library in Meadow Brook, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025.
“I add my favorite books or seasonal ones,” Coker said. “If I see people, I will ask if they have anything they like to read. I can pull it out of the donation box for the next time they visit.”
Coker even handmakes bookmarks for visitors and puts notes in some books to mark them as “her favorites.”
If you have a donation or want a new read, visit Coker’s Meadow Brook Tales library on Meadow Brook Trail.
