A Yorktown teenager has added a pop of color to formerly drab recycling bins at the John C. Hart Memorial Library.
Kelsie Mulgrew, 17, a senior at Lakeland High School, transformed the once unremarkable recycling bins into vibrant works of art. The bins are designated for discarded library books that are either resold or recycled to stay out of the waste stream.
Recognizing the importance of these recycling bins while also desiring greater visual appeal, Young Adult Services Librarian Colin Russell initiated a project to revamp their appearance.
“Patrons often accidentally put their library books into those bins, and so we wanted to make them look as little like book bins as possible,” said Russell. “Kelsie sent in the winning sketch: a bright and sunny landscape mural that encompassed all three of the bins in question. Patrons and staff have expressed how much it brightens up that small corner of the property.”
Mulgrew, a dedicated library volunteer, said that she responded to Russell’s call for concept sketches because she wanted to share her art and show her appreciation for the library.
“The library has been such a huge part of my life throughout high school. I would come after school for as many days as possible to study or do my homework. I thought volunteering there this summer would be the best place due to its meaning in my life,” said Mulgrew.
Photo caption: Kelsie Mulgrew standing with the recycling bins she painted at the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Yorktown. Photo courtesy of the Hart library.