Dual Immersion little library is latest PLJ
The Junción de Bibliotecita — Little Library Junction — brought neighbors together in the south part of Porterville.
That was the theme on Saturday as a large group of people braved the 100-plus degree heat to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the latest library in the Porterville Library Junction initiative. The dual immersion library was dedicated at the home of the Guzman family in south Porterville. German Guzman did the honors as he cut the ribbon for the little library.
Many neighbors came to donate books to the little library and by the time the short ceremony was over the little library was practically full. “It looks like we’re going to need a bigger library,” said Maria Roman, who served as the facilitator for the ceremony. The Roman family also have a little library at their home.
The dual immersion library is the second dual immersion library that’s been established as part of the PLJ program. The dual immersion library will serve as a place for books in English, Spanish — and other languages.
“I think this is such a great idea,” said Roman about the dual immersion library.
On the hot day those attending were thankful the little library was placed in a sizeable shaded area of a large elm tree. “This is a perfect spot for this I think,” Roman said.
Roman said it’s difficult to come up with an exact number of little libraries that have now been established as part of the PLJ effort because a number of them are in the development phase, but she said the number of little libraries is now in the 30s.
The goal of the PLJ effort is to have 100 little libraries established by February 18, 2023 which will be the third anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Porterville Public Library and killed Porterville Fire Captain Ray Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones.
Each little library will have a plaque dedicated to Figueroa and Jones that’s donated and made by Richard Eckhoff.
Roman said the plaque will state In Memory of Captain Figueroa and Firefighter Jones who on February 18, 2020 went in to sacrifice their lives in an effort to save “our beloved library.” She said the plaque will also state how the “resiliency of our community” has been demonstrated.
“That’s why it’s really important to continue it,” said Roman about the little libraries honoring Figueroa and Jones.
The latest PLJ was a collaborative effort between neighbors Kirsten Kempfter and the Guzman family. George Piling — who has constructed eight little libraries for the PLJ effort — constructed the little library that was dedicated on Saturday.
Kempfter and her best friend, Lea Spann, did the artwork for the little library which features peacocks. That’s fitting since one may be able to hear the peacocks at the home of Richard Hatfield, who lives nearby.
“It represents your soul and who you are,” said Roman to Kempfter at Saturday’s ceremony. “You wanted it to be perfect.”
“They did a great job,” added Roman about Kempfter and Spann.
In talking about the little library, Guzman said he was a man of few words, but called the little library a blessing and said he was honored and “very happy” to have it at his home. He also said he would make sure the little library would always be taken care of and maintained.
Tim Baker, a leader in the PLJ project, said the effort that led to the latest little library was done in the same way as a 4-H project is done to serve the community. He said that was fitting since it was Kirsten’s mother, Evelyn, who got him into 4-H 45 years ago.
“Evelyn gave me a gift,” Baker said. “This is a gift for Evelyn and Kirsten.”
For more information about the PLJ effort email PLJ at info@ scidip.net (no hyphen, in case auto-hyphen inserts one).
Or call or text PLJ leaders: Tim Baker at (559) 779-4821, Gina Calo Ecobiza at (559) 483-1189, Cindy Kelly at (559) 3617494, or Kristy Noble at (949) 291–7146.
The locations of the PLJ little libraries are all viewable via the Google Map link https://tinyurl. COM/PTV-PLLS. One can also find PLJ on Instagram at Porterville_little_libraries .