Gabriel, Tivona and Shanyca browsing the books at the launch of Rotary Sunset’s new Little Free Library in Simpson Bay.
SIMPSON BAY--Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset launched a new Little Free Library at Allen C. Halley Community Centre in Simpson Bay on Saturday, September 26. This is the club’s fourth free library on the island.
The club opened the new location in the presence of the centre’s director Brigitte Halley, club members and invited guests.
The club encourages persons to use the free libraries like a book exchange, said Rotary Sunset President Elisia Lake.
The project’s objective is to promote reading and literacy in St. Maarten’s communities, said Rotary Sunset in a press release on Wednesday.
“Rotary advocates basic education and literacy and with an initiative such as this, it is very beneficial to promoting reading, especially in the communities. It is the club’s hope that the community of Simpson Bay appreciates this gesture and will utilise the box effectively. Anyone in the nearby communities of Cole Bay, Cay Bay, Pelican and even as far as the Mullet Bay area can stop to take a book and leave a book,” said Lake.
She thanked Martin Canzius of Canzius Designs N.V. for building the free library and Larry Yankey for attaching the signs to the structure.
The Little Free Library concept was introduced by Rotarian Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, US, in 2009 and the idea quickly spread throughout many Rotary clubs, especially in the US.
Rotary Sunset’s three other free libraries are located at the Marigot Waterfront, Raoul Illidge Sports Complex in Cay Hill, and University of St. Martin (USM) on Pond Island.
The club’s first location was at the Marigot Waterfront, which was launched in December 2018.
The club has also assisted Rotary and Rotaract clubs in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and the Turks and Caicos Islands to install two free libraries in these territories. Rotary Sunset says it is “ecstatic” about currently helping to establish a free library in Anguilla.
The club urges persons to donate books no longer in use to the project. This can be done by either placing them in the free libraries or giving the books to any Rotary Sunset member.
Persons interested in sponsoring a free library are asked to contact the club via e-mail at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling tel. 1-721-587-4193.
