In January 2014, Mary Kate Halmose raised the idea for creating lending libraries at several town parks. Although she initially meant to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award, her plans for the scouts have changed, but her ideas for the libraries have not.

During a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting last week she told board members, “I did not go through with the project,” and has since graduated high school. She is no longer a scout, but she does want to go through with the project, Mary Kate told commission members Febeuary 10.

She intends to pursue plans to place a kiosk-style lending library at town locations, including Dickinson and Treadwell Parks and Eichler’s Cove Marina. The marina also includes a picnic area and town beach where residents, like those at the parks, could benefit from finding something to read. The enclosed and waterproofed “boxes” could be located where parents or caretakers could read. The readers could take books out, return them, and put in books of their own, she said.

Recreation members had agreed to the “good idea,” when it was first presented last year, and this week recreation Director Amy Mangold confirmed she loves “the idea and the fact that she still wants to pursue it even though she is no longer a Scout.”

She added, “The commission also agreed.”

When Ms Halmose raised the topic roughly a year ago, commissioners had wanted to see drawings of what the lending kiosk would look like. She also had tentative plans to coordinate with book clubs or libraries to coordinate efforts, and begin fundraising for the project.

Inquiries about making book donations to this project can be sent to HalmoseMK@gmail.com.