A new library is making its home in Athens this weekend, and the bar for birthday presents has been raised right along with it.

Thanks to the children of the late Barbara Gordon, as well as the Athens Elementary School community, the Little Free Library will make its debut at a dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20, at Athens Elementary School.

Lori Ermert, Gordon’s daughter, said that when her brother first asked how they planned to honor their mother’s birthday on Aug. 16, she had no idea. Gordon died in February, so this was their first birthday without her.

Fortunately, Gordon’s love of reading and devotion to her community made a library the perfect idea.

“She was an avid reader in her later years and loved to go to the library,” said Ermert. “She would always ask what I was reading when she was at my house.”

Ermert’s brother, David Gordon, is a woodworker, and it was decided he would build the small library. While the Little Free Library organization does not have specific rules for building, the first Little Libraries were about 20 inches wide and 18 inches tall. Most Little Libraries have been built to be about this size.

The libraries are open to anyone who likes to read. Visitors can pick up a book to take home or leave a book for someone else to enjoy.

Ermert said a lot of people were excited to help with this project.

“She was one of those people who was dear to a lot of people,” Ermert said.

Of course, the library would need a place to stand.

“It needed to be a place where other people could help look after it, and it was accessible to people in the community,” Ermert said.

That’s where AES came in. Ermert said she and David drove all over their hometown of Athens, looking for the right spot. They kept returning to the school.

“I noticed there were a lot of people within walking distance and families going to and from the school,” Ermert said.

Ermert contacted Principal Cindy Davis, who was more than OK with the proposal.

“I actually love free libraries,” Davis said. “When I lived in Dubai, they had free libraries on the beach, and my daughters live in New Hope and they have free libraries (in their community).”

The AES library is even donating some of their own books to be stored in the library, which will be positioned at the front of the school. Davis said the base is already in place, but the rest would likely be unveiled at Sunday’s dedication.