NEWTON TWP. — A township resident hopes to bring the community to the Newton Recreation Center while connecting with its past with his Eagle Scout project.
Derek Williams, a member of Boy Scout Troop 160 of Clarks Summit, built a free library in the building’s history room. The library, which Williams built and finished last month, features two bookshelves, one about 12 feet by three feet in length, the other five feet by four feet, with books for children and adults.
The public is allowed to pick up a book from one of the shelves or donate books. Books that are on the shelf currently were donated by members of the community and by the Abington Heights High School senior and his family. The library will be open when the center office is open.
“If anybody comes by and they want to read a book or two, they can just take it at no costs or strings attached,” he said.
Derek, 17, decided to do his project at the center on Newton Ransom Boulevard last summer after he got a call from Georgia Liberatori, the center’s board treasurer. She said she had the idea of putting a library in the building for a long time as a way to draw people inside and thought it would make a good Eagle Scout project.
“I think a lot of people in our community don’t realize what we have here, what we can offer here,” Liberatori said. “And rather than a little box out in the parking lot, I thought we have the room.”
Derek planned the project during the summer and fall months, and began working on it with help from members of his troop last month, while his aunt, Liz Williams, donated materials. He finished it Dec. 20.
Derek said while he likes building things, he had never constructed a bookshelf, but he got help from a friend and fellow scout, James Mitchell, who works at Dalton Do It Center, and his physics teacher, Dan Vannan.
“It was really nice to be able to plan out a bookshelf and then see how much wood I’ll need,” Derek said.
Liberatori said the project was a process that involved cutting the molding in the room, pre-cutting and building the shelves, and securing it.
“There was a whole crew in here,” she recalled. “I never saw so many Milwaukee tools in one place.”
The children’s section of the free library at the Newton Recreation Center in Newton Twp. on Friday, Jan. 02, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Boy Scout Derek Williams Newton sits next to the children’s section of the new free library Newton Recreation Center in Newton Twp. on Friday, Jan. 02, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The adult section of the free library at the Newton Recreation Center in Newton Twp. on Friday, Jan. 02, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Boy Scout Derek Williams Newton stands next to the children’s section of the new free library at the Newton Recreation Center in Newton Twp. on Friday, Jan. 02, 2026. Williams volunteered to create the library as part of his pursuit to become an Eagle Scout. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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The children’s section of the free library at the Newton Recreation Center in Newton Twp. on Friday, Jan. 02, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The new library is located among the historical yearbooks, photographs and other memorabilia from the days when the building operated as the township’s school. Originally built in 1939, it operated as the township’s high school and as an elementary school until the mid-90s.
Derek, who went to preschool at the center, even found photos of his own family among the archives while constructing the shelves, finding a high school graduation photo of his late grandmother, Justine Jadick, who attended high school in the building. His mom, Tamara Jadick attended elementary school in the building.
He likes that although the bookshelves are new, the blend in well with the room’s existing shelves. Derek also appreciates the help he got on the project.
“I’m very happy about it,” Derek said. “I think it works well with the room.”
The project is the first at the center since the center’s current board formed in 2023. Board members and staff are happy with how it turned out.
“I think it’s a wonderful addition to be able to offer it to the community,” said Bobbi Jo Klinkel, the center’s administrator. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Sue Richter, a board member and the center’s event coordinator, said the library is a good way for people to see the history room.
“I think it’s awesome that we got the Boy Scouts involved,” she said.
Derek hopes people who take out books will look at the historical items in the room and learn more about the building’s history.
“You could actually just look at all the history and then actually realize how much this rec center has been (around) and just how much it serves this community,” he said. “You might come in here for a book, but you might leave knowing all this different knowledge about the rec center.”
Center staff hope to formally open the library to the public this month.