MADISON – Girls Scouts in Troop 10341 of Madison have devised a way to share their love of reading and a love of the outdoors.

The girls decided on Little Libraries where people can borrow, take or donate a book. The service is free.

The 16 Girl Scouts built two “Little Libraries,” which resemble large dollhouses and are filled with books that anyone can borrow. “The girls worked hard over the summer months to build the libraries as part of a Take Action Project or TAP,” troop leader Staci Krupp said.

The two libraries are located at Asbury United Methodist Church, 980 Hughes Road and at Murphy Homes, 18 Main Street in downtown Madison. Both libraries are registered with the Little Free Libraries organization and are recorded on the national registrar. The libraries are stocked with books for all ages and are ready for patrons to borrow.

The Girl Scouts finished the construction project on Sept. 8, along with final installation and stocking of books.

“Little did the girls know that deciding on building libraries was the first of many decisions! After voting on a design for the libraries, it was time to start building,” Krupp said.

With the help of some Scout Dads, the girls stayed focused and were busy with prototyping, measuring, cutting, sawing, sanding, painting, nailing and gluing. “The girls learned so much while doing this project, including the use of power tools, tool safety, math skills, differences in materials, digging holes and mixing concrete,” Krupp said.

Attention to detail was important to the girls. They included window boxes under the windows to make the library look like a house. A “Dog Parking” sign with a hook for leashes accommodates a visitor’s pet.

When the girls see the installed libraries, you can literally see how happy they are to know that they helped build that library for the community,” Krupp said.

However, their plans are not complete girls yet. For the next three years, the girls will check on the libraries to confirm that the stations are in good condition, determine if any maintenance is required and replenish books as needed.

“The girls worked hard. They are extremely proud of what they built. Be sure to visit their Little Libraries and grab a good book at the same time,” Krupp said.

Krupp recognized donations and generous support from American Hardwoods, Lowe’s Home Improvement and Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, along with “Doug for digging holes, Matt for creating signs and special thanks to Girl Scout Dads Chris, Dave and Tim.”