The Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Agnew is once again expanding its free outside offerings.

Volunteers recently unveiled a newly expanded Little Free Library at 1033 North Barr Road, just west of Sequim.

With the Little Free Pantry installed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, volunteer Penny Burdick says use of their little library has gone up so they wanted to expand its offerings too.

“It’s gotten much busier with installation of the food pantry,” she said.

Michael Clemens, who has built 15 free pantries and libraries in Clallam County, including the fellowship’s food pantry and newest library, said the new installation is double-sided, rain-proof, includes a bench, and is now big enough to hold large picture books.

Burdick, who painted and decorated the new library, said children’s books go three to four times faster than the adult books.

In an unofficial survey conducted by the fellowship, 85% of pantry users said they use both the pantry and books.

Serena Mylchreest came up with the idea to introduce a free library in 2017 after she sought one in front of her house, but moved to a cul-de-sac with no traffic, so she asked the fellowship’s board about an installation.

Clemens, a handyman in Sequim for 10 years, said he has a pantry set for installation for the North Olympic Healthcare Network and both a new pantry and library at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in the near future.

“It’s marvelous to come back and see them,” he said, “and they’ve been sturdy enough to hold up to the weather.”

Agnew’s Little Free Library is the largest one he’s built, and is registered with littlefreelibrary.org along with five other Sequim area libraries.

Along with donations, Burdick said the free library receives about $750 of a $9,000 grant Albert Haller Foundation for the fellowship’s pantries.

Volunteers receive books from the Friends of the Sequim Library sales, Better World Books and by donation. Books can be donated in the top front left portion of the library facing Barr Road, organizers said.

Items are available 24/7 to anyone with the food pantry stocked daily and the library at least once a week.

For more information about the fellowship, visit olympicuuf.com.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ The newly expanded Little Free Library at the Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Agnew is double-sided, rain-proof, and available to anyone for free.