Mercer Island library considers literacy garden for children

Plans for a literacy garden at the Mercer Island library are underway. The library is seeking a group of volunteers to help build a literacy garden, which would include a natural space for children to explore nature via outdoor reading areas, a place for story times and guided walks that encourage children to read and learn about their environment.

The King County Library System is applying for a grant for the garden. Grants for building new public gathering places are being provided by Tully’s Coffee and the Pomegranate Center, which are working together on civic projects.

The library needs between 20 and 50 community members to participate in community meetings, design workshops and construction. Two or three meetings will be held for approximately two hours each. Construction of the garden would take an estimated three to five days.

The library is also seeking three to five public space rangers — design, construction and fabrication professionals who have experience in architecture, landscape architecture and master gardening. Participation would include a brief training, design workshops, plan development and construction plans, and actual garden construction.

Interested volunteers can contact Amy Eggler or Christine Anderson at the Mercer Island library: (206) 236-3537, mercerislandlibrary@kcls.org, by March 31. If the grant proposal is accepted, the project would start in May and end in December.

Contact Mercer Island Reporter Staff Reporter Staff at editor@mi-reporter.com.

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