ODESSA, Texas — In the front yard of this home on East 37th Street, is the Winwood Little Free Library. This library that is open to anyone is owned by Jackie Hall.
"We encourage you to take a book and leave a book if you can’t that’s OK too because we put a lot of effort into going around town and collecting books all the time," says Jackie Hall.
The library has been here for the past two years and she says she enjoys seeing kids get the books inside the case.
"They’re walking home or riding their bikes and they notice it that’s been really good. I love seeing all those kids come over and get books."
"We got this reading bench and I’d like to add some cement here and make a little shaded reading nook so if they want to stop and browse the books for a few minutes or if mom wants to read a story to them before they move on and continue their walk. This summer while it’s so hot if I notice anybody out, I will be bringing out bottles of cold water," says Hall.
At Winwood, she wants to make sure books are available for everyone.
"I feel like a lot a little libraries don’t have anything for big brother who might be forced to walk little sister over here so we do try to keep a variety of books both boys and girls. We have vintage books, chapter books, a lot of the step-by-step readers," says Hall.
She hopes to share her love for reading with kids in her community. The same way someone special once did for her.
"My mom. My mom read to me from the day I was born and it gave me a lifelong love of reading. I read to my kids before they were born and I think everybody should have the opportunity for that I don’t think kids should have to pay for books at all they should just be out there."
With kids being rewarded with some cool books, Jackie gets rewarded also.
"This enables people to have one in their neighborhood and if more and more of us do it we'll eventually have a little libraries in every neighborhood in town and all of the kids in this town will benefit from it and I also keep bilingual books, so everybody can read," says Hall.
Winwood Little Free Library, 3818 E 37th St, Odessa, TX 79762. Jackie Hall Facebook.
Jackie Hall will also be hosting an event at Cactus House on June 27th to raise money to buy more books for Winwood.