Colorado Springs man organizes ‘little libraries’ around town to lift spirits

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - One local small business owner is giving back to the community in a unique way amid the pandemic.

Evan Lipford, owner of Commerce Puzzle software, found 32 families to host hand-made little libraries in their yards.

Lipford told KRDO his company plans something different to give back each year.

For 2020, he chose this project to help people dive into a good book and forget about their troubles during these tough times -- even if it's only for a few hours.

"It's the fastest way to take a vacation - that's the way that I like to say it," Lipford explained. "Books can take you to places that you cannot get to on an airplane or any other mode of transportation."

Lipford said he couldn't do it all alone. Royal Rustic Customs helped construct the cases, and Generation Wild of the Pikes Peak Region supplied books to get things started.

"Making sure that the community has something where people can kind of come together and collaborate and see something get produced was my end goal, and it's good to see that unfold," Lipford told us.

If you see the little libraries around town, you're encouraged to take or a leave a book -- or both.