Twelve-year-old Tane Ridle kneels beside the road-side little library he built with his uncle on their family's farm on Kitchen-Dick Road west of Sequim. Joe Smillie/Peninsula Daily News

Twelve-year-old Tane Ridle kneels beside the road-side little library he built with his uncle on their family's farm on Kitchen-Dick Road west of Sequim. Joe Smillie/Peninsula Daily News

Little Free Library established in Sequim

SEQUIM –– As his family grows a wide range of crops on its Big Barn Farm, 12-year-old Tane Ridle is growing a little library in a matching little barn he built.

While the farm’s big red barn is filled with farm implements behind its big wooden doors, the little glass door of Ridle’s mini-barn holds everything from wild horses to hobbits.

“We wanted to make a great place to stop and pick up a story,” Ridle said.

His little red barn at 702 Kitchen-Dick Road is the first Little Free Library in Sequim.

The box, built by Tane and his uncle, Jason, and stocked with the help of his aunt, Erin, allows for anyone who wants to stop and pick up a book for free.

Take or share

“You don’t even have to bring it back,” he said, “although it would be nice if people put some more books inside.”

Other rules of traditional libraries also are not followed.

Tane said there is no shushing of loud library users.

He has also abandoned the Dewey Decimal System, with instructional books sandwiched in between picture books of animals and young adult novels.

“It’s mostly adult books right now, but I’d like to add some children’s stuff,” he said.

It is also not yet equipped to hook up to e-readers.

Over the summer, Tane and Jason grabbed scrap wood from the big barn, sawed it into shape, painted it red and nailed everything together.

“I wish I could have participated in the spray painting a bit more,” Tane said with a smile. “But I had a lot of fun nailing it together.”

They tacked on a glass door found at a garage sale, and Tane and Erin pulled books from the family’s basement to put inside.

They also added to the stock through the online book swapping site www.BookMooch.com.

A lot of fun

An avid reader, Tane said he was enthusiastic about the idea when his aunt pitched it to him.

“I love to read, so when she told me about it, I thought it would be a lot of fun,” he said.

Others who have stopped at the roadside bookstop also find delight in its free pages, according to comments written on a spiral-bound notepad left inside the library.

“Thanks for the book — I’m going to read Biscuit to Wessy. Will bring it back!” one commenter wrote with a smiley face.

“I [heart] these books. thanks,” wrote another.

Over the holiday break, a fan also dropped off a pair of James Patterson novels that Tane placed alongside his J.R.R. Tolkien section.

Others on the Peninsula

Ridle’s Little Free Library is the fourth on the North Olympic Peninsula.

Others are posted in front of the home of Bruce and Theresa Rothweiler at 119 W. Ninth St. in Port Angeles, at Sonja Schoenleber’s home at 1023 Tyler St. in Port Townsend and in Darlene Durfee’s front yard at 31 E. Maude St. in Port Hadlock.

More than 10,000 Little Free Libraries are posted throughout the world.

The idea was started in Hudson, Wis., by Todd Bol in 2009.

Ridle’s library is Little Free Library of Distinction No. 7,173 and is posted on the organization’s map with others on www.littlefreelibrary.org.

________

Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Joe Smillie can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or at jsmillie@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Port Townsend to test sewer system with smoke, dye

The city of Port Townsend will test its sewer… Continue reading

JUMP! Playground to close for renovations

Jefferson County Parks and Recreation will close the JUMP! Playground… Continue reading

Barcy Fisher, left, and Patti Buckland have been selected as the 2024 Marrowstone Island Citizens of the Year.
Fisher, Buckland honored as Marrowstone Island citizens of year

Barcy Fisher and Patty Buckland were named Marrowstone Island’s 2024… Continue reading

About 700 people from Jefferson and Clallam counties spill out from the steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse onto Jefferson Street in Port Townsend on Monday to take part in a National Day of Protest organized by the 50501 Movement, which stands for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement.” (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Hundreds protest actions of Trump administration

Activists cite USAID, worry about Treasury, impacts of immigration

Peninsula to welcome Canadian visitors

Celebration of Coho passengers planned

Fish barrier removal to impact highway traffic

Portions of roadway to have long-term closures

Cheryl Gertsch of Sequim, left, talks with Krista Meyers, project manager with Cascadia Solar of Port Townsend during the annual Home Building, Remodeling and Energy Expo on Saturday at Sequim Middle School. The event, hosted by the North Peninsula Building Association, featured a variety of booths, displays and presentations dedicated to home construction, repair and improvement. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Building expo

Cheryl Gertsch of Sequim, left, talks with Krista Meyers, project manager with… Continue reading

Sunlight reflects off the skull of Gunther, the California gray whale carcass on display on the pier in Port Townsend. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
The golden hour

Sunlight reflects off the skull of Gunther, the California gray whale carcass… Continue reading

The state is looking to turn Miller Peninsula, a 2,800-acre undeveloped park east of Sequim, into a destination state park with a visitors center, cabins, picnic areas and more. Some locals oppose the move. (Warren Wilson)
Opponents want park to stay day use

State updates plan for Miller Peninsula

Sequim staff plan to send a proposal to the state this month to potentially fund sewer and water lift stations on West Sequim Bay Road using new developments’ property taxes through a Tax Increment Area by Sequim Bay in a 363-acre area. It would require the city to prove that developments in the area wouldn’t happen without the stations. The city council also would have to approve it. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim exploring funding mechanism to incentivize development

City would create district, repurpose tax dollars for lift stations

Fred Rix of Port Angeles, right, looks over floral arrangements with Ann O’Neill, an employee of Angel Crest Gardens of Port Angeles at a temporary stand at First and Race streets in Port Angeles on Valentine’s Day. Rix said he wanted roses for his wife, Wendy Rix, for their 55th wedding anniversary. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Valentine’s roses

Fred Rix of Port Angeles, right, looks over floral arrangements with Ann… Continue reading

Port Angeles-owned Lancashire Heeler “Ki” poses with handler and co-owner Chelsy Pendleton of Utah with their ribbon. Ki placed as Best of Opposite Sex at the 149th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
PA dog places at famous show

Lancashire Heeler wins ribbon at Westminster