Outside Typical Life Corporation’s York Day Program, surrounded by colorful painted rocks and raised flower beds, a Little Free Library offers community members and the individuals whom TLC serves an opportunity to drop off a book and take home a new summer read.
For TLC, which supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the Little Free Library was a natural addition to the Day Program.
Jonelle Gabsewics, TLC’s Chief Financial Officer, spearheaded the venture, which was funded through donations during Give Local York in 2024. The Day Program maintains the library under the guidance of TLC employee Stacy Noon-Parker, who oversees its operation.
“As an organization, we use the Little Free Libraries a lot,” says Jonelle. “They’re in the neighborhoods where we have a lot of our residential houses. It’s just part of day-to-day life for us, so why not have one for the community as well?”
‘It’s open to everyone’
While the library is a small wooden box of books on a pole, it serves as a powerful tool for skill-building and inclusion. Individuals in the Day Program take turns each week managing the library, cleaning it, choosing its books, restocking it, and organizing its contents.
TLC individuals learn valuable life skills by maintaining, organizing, and caring for the library. At the same time, it has become an asset for the community. Neighbors of the York Day Program stop by to pick up a book or drop off their books.
“It’s kind of exciting to see what somebody put in there over the weekend,” Jonelle says.
The library is registered with the official Little Free Library network and appears on the organization’s map and app. Community members can visit and take or leave a book at any time, no sign-in or interaction with TLC staff required.
“It’s open to everyone,” Jonelle says. “You don’t even have to bring a book to take one.”
More than the books in the box
TLC’s large internal collection of books, donated by community members and local libraries, supports the Little Free Library. TLC individuals choose books to rotate from the inside library to the outdoor Little Library. That personal touch helps to make the Little Library one of a kind. Its collection changes week to week, depending on the choices of the individual maintaining the space.
“It’s kind of fun to put the things you like out there and see what disappears,” Jonelle says.
The library is part of the evolution of the outdoor space at the York Day Program. Individuals have added a rock snake, which is a growing line of painted stones, alongside raised flower beds and a seasonal flag.
While use of the Little Library doesn’t involve regular face-to-face interaction with TLC’s neighbors, the individuals who maintain it expand their understanding of what it means to serve the broader community.
“It’s the connection, right? Community is really important to us, and it’s not just about our community of TLC individuals we support and those who are impacted by our services, but it’s where we are within our community every day,” Jonelle says. “Between our homes and our day option locations, we really are integrated into our community and we’re really wanting to engage more with that community that surrounds us.”