Hi, I'm Miles from Design Squad Global.
I'm here with Kaeleen,
and we're at the Columbus School in Medford, Massachusetts.
We're about to meet with Miss Rossi
and some Columbus School students.
We're building
a little free library, which is a community book exchange.
Little free libraries
are tiny structures where people can borrow books and leave books
for other people to read.
Hi, guys.
We'd like you to build us a little free library,
and we'd like it to go right here.
We need the library to be waterproof.
We need the library to have a door,
so that we can get the books.
We need the door to have a window
so we can see the books.
And we need the library on a post.
The library post should go
about two feet into the ground.
Do you have any questions?
No, that's all good.
MISS ROSSI: All right, good luck.
MILES: We're building the little free library
at the Acera School in their wood shop.
Hey!
This is Violet.
She's an awesome builder, and she's helping us
brainstorm and use the tools.
Okay, so how about we just sketch out some ideas,
and we can brainstorm?
>> Sounds good. >> Sounds good.
KAELEEN: We thought about building a box with a flat roof
with gutters that would carry the rain away.
Then we decided the roof should have a slope.
That way the rain would roll right off.
MILES: Maybe if we think about it sort of like a shed,
if we have this be the side view, then it could be
sort of like this,
and the water could flow down the back.
We can definitely cut the side walls at an angle,
and we can just, like, put a roof right on the top of it.
So there's this stuff.
These boards I think will be perfect.
MILES: We're having Vi cut the side walls at an angle,
so when we put on the roof,
it will be at an angle, too.
(saw buzzing)
Now we have two sides.
And now we just have to make the front and the back.
Cool.
But the biggest problem
that we need to figure out right now is the door.
We should have the door be like this.
What was it, 15 and three-quarters?
KAELEEN: Mm-hmm, and the side ones?
Eight and a half.
And then the glass is going to be in the middle here.
Then we should probably put some hinges on the side,
like, right over here.
So the door will swing open like that.
And we need a window that's going to be clear.
Do you think we want to use glass?
Maybe, but I think it might break easily.
What about plexiglass?
It's clear, and it won't break as easily.
KAELEEN: So we have two sheets of it.
MILES: You take that off, you can see it looks
basically like glass, but it's more durable.
And it's actually plastic.
KAELEEN: At first, we thought we were just going to make
one door and one shelf.
But we're making two doors, because one tall, skinny door
would be too wobbly.
We need a board on the bottom and a board on the top.
So let's measure.
All right, let's put the roof on while Violet cuts the boards.
This is a mending brace.
We use these to hold wood together,
and we just run screws right through these holes here.
This is silicone seal.
It helps keep the water out.
MILES: Here's hoping this actually dries clear.
KAELEEN: Yeah.
I love the silicone sealer.
VIOLET: It's kind of like icing a cake.
A disgusting, non-edible cake.
KAELEEN: After we applied the silicone,
we hammered on some shingles to protect the roof
and make it waterproof.
And then we were able
to take the little free library to the Columbus School.
Here it is!
That looks great.
MILES: We got some help from the Columbus kids,
and put up the library
in front of the school.
KAELEEN: We dug a hole, and put in the post that Violet cut.
After we made sure the post was level,
we placed the library on top, and later we drilled it in.
MISS ROSSI: Good job, guys.
Thanks-- it looks fabulous.
Thank you so much.
Oh, one more thing.
We almost forgot the books.
Goodness.
One, two, three, little free libraries!
(all cheering)