Scout designs book nook project for town

WINSTED — The town recently acquired four book exchange boxes thanks to Boy Scout Robert Nichols, 18, who designed the boxes as part of his Eagle Scout Project.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America. Eagle Scout projects are designed to demonstrate leadership while providing a benefit of the community. 

The boxes are made out of wood and glass with doors that latch. They function similarly to a library, albeit a small and informal one. 

Nichols said that he wanted to do something local for his project, so his Scout Master put him in touch with Gilbert School teacher Mary Ann Welcome, who is starting a literacy program in Winsted.

“I mostly supervised the project,” Nichols said. “I had to get volunteers to put the book boxes together. It took around six months to complete everything. What took a lot of time was researching boxes in other areas. There are boxes you can buy, but they were all about the size of shoe-boxes, and I didn’t want them that small. It took time coming up with the dimensions, measuring books, going out price shopping and setting up a fundraiser. All of the little stuff took time. I had my dad and one of his friends help out putting the boxes together. My brother and dad and I painted them. Two kids from my troop helped me put them in the ground.”

Nichols said that he enjoyed himself during the project.

“Your Eagle project doesn’t require building something, but I thought it would be kind of fun to actually design something that will be here a long time, as long as nobody vandalizes it,” he said. “My original plan was to build eight boxes, and I could have done it with more time and more fundraisers. I thought I would need permits, but I didn’t. I went and talked to Dale Martin, the town manager. I showed him the idea and he thought it was a good one. I had to get permission at places that aren’t town property, but as far as the town goes, I didn’t need a building permit because I built them at my house and they’re not permanently mounted in the ground. I didn’t pour concrete or anything.”

Assistant Scout Master Robert Pac said that portable book houses have been trending in a lot of towns.

“People can borrow books and restock them at their leisure. It’s a free book exchange,” Pac said. “Rob is working on his Eagle Scout rank for Boy Scouts, and everything has to be wrapped up a couple weeks from now. Once we make sure he finished all his requirements, we’ll have an Eagle Scout ceremony. I think he did a really good job on this. He coordinated with a few people to get the materials and did fund-raising. He did a good job organizing. We’re pretty proud of him. There was a lot of work to do.”

The four book exchange boxes are located in front of Town Hall, behind IGA, inside Realty Executives and at Resha Beach on Highland Lake.