Children's books find new homes after swap

LACONIA – More than 250 children’s books that were hiding in area bookcases and bedsides found new homes during a book swap at Wayfarer Coffee Roasters in Laconia on Saturday.

“They were locked up in houses all over town,” said Mike Gagnon, who organized the first-ever swap.

While they have about 800 books left over, Gagnon said the important part is that those 250 books are now in the hands of local children, fueling their imaginations.

“That’s kind of how I’ve been looking at it,” Gagnon said in an interview Monday.

Gagnon, who created the “Love Laconia” Facebook group, accumulated more than a thousand books that were dropped off at several collection boxes around the city: Studio 151 Fitness, Wayfarer Coffee Roasters, Singh Family Dental, Happy Cow Ice Cream and The Downtown Gym.

Before bringing the books to Wayfarer Coffee Roasters for people to drop by and make their selections Saturday afternoon, Gagnon held a Friday night sorting party at his house.

“I had a ton of help,” he said. “The city came out for us in a big way. It was awesome.”

He said about 15 people chipped in, including some friends from his neighborhood and the Cereal Heroes, a group of students who take it upon themselves to help improve the lives of their neighbors.

“Our next plan is to build some ‘tiny libraries’ and try to fill those up” with the unclaimed children’s books, Gagnon said. “I’ll talk with the folks from the city and see where we can put them.”

Gagnon said he’d like to see three such libraries.

“I’d like to see them at the schools and one on the WOW trail.”

Lowe’s of Gilford has even offered to donate the materials needed to build the tiny libraries, he said.

And, Gagnon added, he would be happy to hear from any organizations that could make use of some books for kids.

Contact Gagnon at 603-630-7625.