Downingtown Library’s book collection moving to new building in little red wagons
The new building that will house the Downingtown Library in Chester County. (Courtesy of Jack Hines)
After 100 years in the same building, the Downington Library is relocating to a new facility on Saturday. But organizers aren’t renting a moving van to make the trip.
Instead locals are being asked to bring “little red wagons” to the old building, load them with boxes of books, and walk them in a long line to the new library.
“If you were coming through Downingtown [on Saturday] you would see a row of wagons pulled by families, individuals, whomever wants to come out,” said Jack Hines, a member of the Rotary Club of Thorndale, who is organizing the event.
“A gentleman is going to fire off a cannon at eight o’clock to get us started. We have the Coatesville Rotary coming in to serve food and drinks and so forth. And I just got an email the other day that the Chick-fil-A cow wants to join us in the procession.”
Hines is aiming to get one hundred wagons to take part in the pull cart caravan, which will take participants on a short route through the Chester County borough.
According to Hines, the community has responded positively to the unconventional idea. “For a family to remember as they go into the future and say ‘we were part of this, we were part of a community event that moved a library’ — it’s just not something you get a chance to do very often,” he said.
The old building is going to be turned into a home. Officials say the new library will open to the public in early January.
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