Vicki and Gene Oxley have a love a reading and hope to get others hooked on books.

The pair are the latest to add a Little Free Library to their yard at 2011 Bailey Drive in Marshalltown. The box invites people to take a book or leave a book if they choose as a way to exchange books and keep people reading.

The first Little Free Library popped up on Church Street last year. When the Oxleys read about it, they decided to make one of their own.

“We thought it would be a fun thing to do and see what happens,” Vicki said.

She said they have already had people stop by and exchange books.

The house has a sidewalk and is near Hoglan Elementary School so quite a few children pass by during the school year.

“We get lot of foot traffic,” Vicki said.

In their free time, both love to read and believe in the benefits of reading.

“It promotes language development,” Gene said.

The couple held an open house for neighbors last weekend and want the word to get out more about the newest Little Free Library in town.

“I think it’s going good so far,” Vicki said. “I hope it gets used.”

Other free libraries are on the way in the area, according to Conrad Dejardin, who is one of the local promoters of this effort.

“I hear that the numbers across the world are growing,” Dejardin said. “I think it’s kind of catching on.”