City Takes Aim at Child’s Homemade Curbside Library – and He’s Ready to Fight Back!

Image-Spencer-Collins-library-controversy
(kmbc.com)

Well, at least they didn’t burn the books. Yet.

Watchdog.org reports:

The city of Leawood (Kansas) is using the full power of the law to protect property values from the threat of, uh, free cabinet-sized libraries.

A municipal statute designed to ban all detached structures is being levied against Leawood residents Brian and Sarah Collins after their 9-year-old son, Spencer, worked with his dad and grandpa to build the Little Free Library as a Mother’s Day gift.

The concept is nothing if not quaint; think “take a penny, leave a penny,” except with books. While the initiative has been allowed to flourish unhindered in surrounding communities such as Prairie Village, Leawood has taken a strict stance against the matter. The issue isn’t the diminutive library’s existence, but rather its location.

Meanwhile, KMBC reports:

“When we got home from vacation, there was a letter from the city of Leawood saying that it was in code violation and it needed to be down by the 19th or we would receive a citation,” said Spencer’s mother, Sarah Collins. 

Leawood said the little house is an accessory structure. The city bans buildings that aren’t attached to someone’s home.

The family moved the little library to the garage, but Spencer Collins said he plans to take the issue up with City Hall.

“I would tell them why it’s good for the community and why they should drop the law,” he said. “I just want to talk to them about how good it is.”

Stay tuned!

 

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