We’re Part of the Appalachian Trail Community

In 2014 the Towns of Dover and Pawling were declared Appalachian Trail Community members in recognition of our support and preservation of the AT as a local and national asset. To support the trail, its through hikers, and day hikers, the libraries teamed up to educate people about the trail, and to install Little Free Libraries at the Wiley and Telephone Pioneers Shelters.

Little Free Libraries for Hikers

Little Free Libraries are the “take a book, leave a book” gathering places where people share their favorite reads. The Pawling Library put up a LFL at the Telephone Pioneers Shelter, and the Dover Plains Library put one up near the Wiley Shelter. The LFLs provide reading material for all hikers passing through the shelters who want a book to keep them company on the rest of their journeys.

In 2020, our LFL was demolished by a bear that sniffed out some trail mix left inside by a well-meaning hiker. It’s now up and running again, thanks to our trustee Chris Bergin’s husband, Mr. Keith Bergin. We are so thankful to Chris and Keith for restoring our LFL, which had become an extension of the Library and was treasured by the AT community.

Restored to its place on the AT, the LFL gets lots of visitors! Luckily we have a family of caretakers to keep it well-stocked and looked after. We’re so grateful to our patrons, the Strong Family, who visit the LFL once a month making sure that hikers have lots of books to choose from.