LONGMEADOW – A new little free library is now open at 72 Crescent Road, off of Route 5. Anyone is welcome to pick up or drop off a book at the wooden bookcase in front of the residential home.

Partners Ray Christensen and Cheyenne Ferro, along with Ferro’s children Chandler and Julianna Morfit and Christensen’s daughter Sophie celebrated a grand opening of the little free library at their home on Dec. 1.

Julianna, a 15-year-old student at Longmeadow High School and the library steward, told Reminder Publications there are about 70 books in the little free library, which include books for elementary age students, teens, and adults in a variety of genres.

“One of my favorite things to do is reading, and I also love to help and provide for the community, so this is probably the greatest way I can combine those two things,” she added. “I also like meeting people around the neighborhood, so I’m really excited for this.”

The first free library in Longmeadow is located on Rugby Road, Jenny Sherwin Blumberg, the owner of that little library, said.

"We have had one for the past several years - we do take it down in the winter time, but please come and visit our location on the cul-de-sac of Rugby Road," Blumberg posted in a comment on Reminder Publications' Facebook page." I'm glad to see that the word is spreading about free little libraries,"

Ray, who moved to Longmeadow a year ago and who previously lived in West Hartford, CT, said there are many little free libraries in West Hartford, but he was surprised to see they were lacking in Longmeadow when he and his family moved into the community.

Julianna explained that anyone can pick any book they would like to take out at anytime and if they have another book they could leave it to replace the book they are taking.

“It’s supposed to be simple, that’s the point,” she noted.

Ray said people could take a book and keep if they really enjoy reading it, pass it on to someone else or return it to any other free library.

Julianna said she stamped books featured in their collection to identify books originally from their little free library.

She added their little free library has its own number on the little free library website, which is 480,089. The number corresponds to how many little free libraries are located within the country.

There was already been some excitement from neighbors about the little free library the day after it opened, Julianna said.

“Fifth graders down the street were really excited about it and so were some of the neighbor’s kids and some other people,” she noted.

Ray said a couple who lives further down on Route 5 visited the little free library and told him they had visited free libraries in other states and were excited for the creation of one in Longmeadow.

“[On Dec. 1] we had about 20 people here and we had our little grand opening,” he explained.

Rev. Dr. Jay Terbush, pastor of the First Church of Christ, local neighbors and friends, as well as Town Manager Stephen Crane attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, Ray noted.

“[Crane] brought me a bag of books and an old knitting bag, and a letter and a bunch of Storrs Library bookmarks,” Julianna said.

For more information about the little free library search of it on www.littlefreelibrary.org.

The Longmeadow free library is also seeking used book donations.

Individuals can drop them off or contact Ray at RayC1245@gmail.com.

This story was amended to include information about Longmeadow's first free library on Rugby Road.