Blu’s Book Box was founded by senior Matthew Pavlik and has been implemented on Lawrence’s campus this Spring Term. As a current senior on campus, Pavlik first formulated his idea for a book box/free library on campus during his junior year. The inspiration for the mini libraries on campus came from his ventures off campus in the Appleton area, as he observed mini libraries across the city of Appleton.
Regarding the reason for the installation of the mini free libraries, Pavlik says that his “real intention was to just create more community on campus and break the ‘Lawrence busy,’ as it kind of slows people down to go to the book box and check it out.” Pavlik describes “Lawrence busy” as “students not having time for themselves” and followed this with the hope that students will find usefulness in the boxes. He emphasizes the book boxes as a resource for the greater community off campus.
To ensure the maintenance of the book boxes, Pavlik has reached out to various clubs and organizations to look after a box. He also cites the four locations of each “book box”: Heather Urness and the Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) sponsor the one by the Conservatory, currently the LU Book Club is looking after the one by Colman, The Lawrentian is sponsoring the one by Warch, and the one in the garden is sponsored by SLUG.
For Pavlik, this project was not just a solo project, as he used the Environmental Project fund, and he urges other students who would like to implement a structure or something to serve the community on campus to use this fund. For students that want to contribute to campus life in that aspect, Pavlik suggests to “start talking with people and keep an open dialogue.” He credits his mother, who assisted with the construction of the book boxes during the summer; Jim Sternat from Facilities; SEAL (Student Engagement, Activities and Leadership); and the LUCC (Lawrence University Community Council) Sustainability Committee.
Pavlik envisions the book boxes being something more after his departure from campus, and he hopes that the book boxes evolve to meet the needs of students. There is great emphasis within the name of Blu’s Book Box, as it aligns with Blu’s Pantry Box on campus.
Pavlik says, “I hope that people will leave different items, expanding on the food pantry and the book boxes, as well as possibly leaving menstrual products [and] a seed bank for SLUG garden.” His intention is for this project to encompass campus on various levels, as he has designed the book boxes to be movable and mutable for the foreseeable future of Lawrence University.