UNIONVILLE: A mini-library thrives on a front porch

"Books are my thing," says Rutgers English professor, model, writer and horsewoman Shanyn Fiske. Stacks of books fill her living room, and even though she has lived in her Unionville house for two years, she says she has dozens of boxes still to unpack.
In fact, she loves books so much that she has started a mini-lending library housed in two metal cabinets on her porch at 1652 West Doe Run Road (two houses north of Hood's BBQ in "downtown" Unionville). Anyone is welcome to stop by and take books and replace them with others. On Sunday morning, the shelves were full of everything from romances to thrillers to "Star Wars" books. I swapped two mysteries and a children's book for a big book of Sudoku puzzles.
Shanyn, a charming, enthusiastic woman, sees her library as only a first step: she dreams of starting a community group to discuss literature. For now, though, "I just want people to come up on my porch." She suggests parking on the opposite side of Route 82 at the URA fields.
Thank you to Sunny, who rides with Shanyn, for introducing us!

The mini-library is stocked with a wide array of books. The flowers are from a well-wisher.

English professor Shanyn Fiske welcomes people to visit her porch.