Hettie placed a mini library at her care farm in Lunteren: ‘If others enjoy a good book, I enjoy it too’ – Barneveldse Krant

April 25, 2024 at 9:10 am

People

LUNTERING Nowadays, anyone who takes a walk in the neighborhood has to make an effort not to come across a mini library. Because the fact that residents of the municipality of Ede love books is evident from the more than a hundred public bookcases in our municipality. This week, Hettie van Eck-Haanschoten is opening a booklet about her mini library at her care farm at Scharrenburgersteeg 16 in the countryside of Lunteren.

by Elyse van den Brink

59-year-old Hettie, together with her husband and two children, has a care farm, Eck-stra in Lunteren. Since 2018, there has been a bookcase at the entrance, ‘Hettie’s library’. The initiative was such a success that it even had to be expanded in 2021: the gypsy wagon on the site was refurbished during corona times by participants from the care farm and another bookcase was placed in the wagon.

Do you have a mini library in the municipality of Ede and would you also like to tell your story in this section? Read here how you can register.

How did you come up with the idea of ​​starting your own mini library?

“There was a bookcase in the South Limburg Heuvelland a long time ago. When we were on holiday there, I always went there to have a look. It took many years before we had one ourselves, but that cabinet was the first inspiration.

Through the mini library I hope to encourage others to read more. By reading you broaden your view and you can better empathize with other people who may live in a completely different way than you do.”

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The cupboard is always well stocked with books. – Own picture

Hettie, together with her husband and two children, has a care farm, Eck-stra in Lunteren. – Own picture

What effect does your mini library have on passers-by and on yourself?

“The mini library is located in the countryside and is therefore a nice goal to combine with a round of cycling or walking. There is a ‘break spot’ near the bookcase, so enjoying the countryside is a good option. During a beautiful summer afternoon, people sometimes sit on the picnic bench for a while reading a book or magazine.

When others enjoy a good book or magazine, I enjoy it too. There are also several people who come back regularly. I see an older couple almost every Saturday afternoon at a fixed time.”

How much work does your mini library require?

“I check every day to see if anything has changed and put everything back neatly, if necessary. I regularly post a message on the Facebook page of ‘Hettie’s mini library’, for example when nice new books have arrived. I also regularly put together some books around a specific theme, such as during reading days, around Sinterklaas and Christian holidays.”

What books are there in ‘Hettie’s mini library’?

“I try to keep the offering diverse. If there are too many books of the same type, I will exchange some.

Through the mini library I try to encourage children to read more. There are also reading books. For the language development and reading pleasure of young children, it is important that a lot of reading is done. In the mini library, (grand)parents can easily and free see which books their toddler or preschooler likes. There are also books for teenagers and young adults, because people often read less at this age. But then it is important that there are nice books in the house.”

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Hettie wants to use her library to encourage children to read more. – Own picture

Which book was most recently added to the mini library?

“Several books about horses and ponies have been received for children. They are always popular. Furthermore, many regional novels are exchanged here.”

Which book are you currently reading?

“Gardening for the Mind” by Sue Stuart-Smith. Interesting to read about the positive influence of gardening on our well-being. At the care farm we have a vegetable garden where we work with participants. Besides reading, gardening is one of my hobbies. Various areas that interest me come together here. I just finished ‘The Book of Fire’ by Christy Lefteri. This story is very impressive and beautifully described.

What are your reading tips?

“I like to read to children at the care farm. The book ‘Pluck saves the animals’ by Annie MG Schmidt is a favorite. It is about Spijtebijt, a sweet boy who keeps getting into trouble for all kinds of reasons and always regrets it.”

“There is a ‘break place’ near the bookcase, so enjoying the countryside is a good option.” – Own picture

Would you like to discover more stories about Edese mini-biebs? Read other parts of the series here.