On May 6, Naman Kedilaya, former City of Gaithersburg Junior Mayor and student at Diamond Elementary School, ceremoniously placed the first books into Diamond Farms Park’s newly installed Little Free Library. Vibrant with hand painted artwork, the small wooden structure serves as a colorful symbol of creativity, collaboration, and youth leadership in the Gaithersburg community.

The Little Free Library was a special project coordinated by the Gaithersburg Parks, Arts & Recreation Corporation (GPARC) Arts Alliance. “One of our missions is to create partnerships with artists and another is to promote the arts to enhance the quality of life for the Gaithersburg community,” shares GPARC volunteer Andi Rosati. “This project accomplished both.”

The library was handcrafted and donated by local artisan John Lewis. Alexis Dominique Limpiado, a former Gaithersburg resident, designed and painted its colorful exterior bringing the library to life visually with a custom, arts infused design. After City staff installed the new library, it was time to fill it with books. And that’s where Naman stepped in.

During his tenure as Junior Mayor, Naman was tasked to organize and implement a service project in the community. His desire to help Gaithersburg’s youngest readers access more books is what guided his mission.

“One way I thought Gaithersburg could build community for the next generation is by encouraging kids to read at a young age,” shared Naman. “Having access to books is really important, but even with great libraries and schools, some kids don’t have a lot of books to choose from. I learned that the City and nonprofit GPARC take care of Little Free Libraries around Gaithersburg, but that they didn’t have enough books for younger kids.”

With support from Diamond Elementary School Principal Daniel Walder and school staff, Naman organized a schoolwide book drive that rallied his classmates and the broader school community. Their generosity resulted in the donation of more than 750 children’s books, all designated for GPARC’s Little Free Library program.

But Naman hoped to extend the impact of the book drive even further. Partnering with GPARC, and working closely with Andi, he adopted the Little Free Library that now serves his own community in Diamond Farms Park.

“Reading is one of my favorite things to do. It helps you learn about new things, use your imagination, and dream big,” said Naman. “I hope that by having more books available, we can help build a community of future dreamers right here in Gaithersburg.”

With months of teamwork between City staff, volunteers, artists, students, and local families, the new Diamond Farms Little Free Library represents a truly community-built achievement.

Rosati reflected on the collaborative effort with pride. “As a volunteer for the Arts Alliance of GPARC, I found this project to be very fulfilling. The partnerships we forged resulted in a beautifully artistic Little Free Library for the Gaithersburg community.”

The Junior Mayor program, which encourages civic engagement and leadership among fourth grade students, played a key role in making this vision possible. Patrice Payne, the program’s coordinator, expressed deep appreciation for Naman’s leadership and the community partners who helped bring the project to life.

“As the Junior Mayor program coordinator, I am incredibly proud of the way our Junior Mayor program continues to empower young leaders to make a meaningful impact in our community,” said Patrice. “Each year, our Junior Mayor selects a service project that reflects their interests, values, and commitment to helping others. Naman’s project is a wonderful example of that spirit in action. By partnering with his community, Naman has been able to extend the reach of this work and bring residents together in a meaningful and collaborative way.”

“We are especially grateful for the Arts Alliance of GPARC’s support in organizing the Little Free Library installation, which helped bring Naman’s vision to life,” Patrice added. “This project demonstrates how youth leadership—supported by community partners—can strengthen our shared sense of connection and purpose.”

The new Diamond Farms Little Free Library is not just a place to borrow a book. It symbolizes the power of volunteerism, artistic collaboration, and the belief that young people can inspire lasting community change.