This spring, the Kids Library hosted its very first Trinket Trade, and for the first time ever, an event at the library that did not revolve around books.

Inspired by the joy and connection that trinket trading creates in communities everywhere, we wanted to bring a little of that magic to our little corner near the bridge. The theme for our first trade, of course, was dogs and cats, with trinkets ranging from tiny treasures to larger surprises. Visitors discovered stickers, temporary tattoos, and animal-themed keepsakes alongside larger items such as dog bandanas, treat pouches, food puzzles, and dog bowls.

During the week-long event, the library welcomed 217 visits, approximately 180 more visits than our typical weekly attendance. The increase suggested that people were eager for opportunities to connect through simple, playful experiences that bring neighbors together. The response exceeded our expectations.

After the trade ended, we shared a community survey to learn what participants thought of the event. Many are already looking forward to our next Trinket Trade planned for November–December 2026.

Starting trinkets small is a good thing.

When the Kai Lending Library first launched in November 2023, we want it to be more than a little free library - it represents a small act of kindness in the community — a place where stories, ideas, and compassion could be shared one book at a time.

After nearly three years of weather, sunshine, and more than 10,000 visitors, it was time for a little maintenance and care.

We want to preserve the original spirit of the library while making it easier to maintain for years to come. The artwork on the roof and door, beautifully hand-painted by our artist friend and board member Natacha, are to remain untouched. These elements are part of the library's history and heart, and preserving those original bones and saving the pawprints was important to us.

We had a detailed mural that brought a great deal of personality to the library. For the refresh, we chose to simplify the artwork to reduce future maintenance needs and make touch-ups easier. The new design is simpler: a dog and BK, both bundled up in cozy sweaters to welcome visitors year-round and the library is now painted in light color to minimize fading and sun damage during our hot summers.

But we are not done. “Be a Kahu” sits squarely above the door.

In Hawaiian culture, kahu means guardian, caretaker, steward, or honored attendant. It reflects a deep and sacred responsibility for something precious — whether that is a beloved animal companion, a cherished place, or a community. A kahu does not simply own or possess. A kahu protects, nurtures, and cares for something entrusted to them.

As visitors stop by the library to borrow a book, leave a book, or simply say hello, we hope those three words serve as a gentle reminder of the role each of us can play in caring for animals, our communities, and one another.

Be a Kahu.

On March 12, 2026, the Kai Lending Library celebrated its second year participating in Coyote Awareness Week and expanded the program to the Empathy Library for the very first time.

To help spark curiosity and understanding, we stocked our children's library with books about coyotes and featured Coyote's Wild Home by Lily Kingsolver. Through stories and hands-on activities, we invited children to explore the world through the eyes of one of our most misunderstood wild neighbors.

Young visitors could take home a "Build a Coyote" kit made from cardstock materials, coyote awareness stickers, and a Coyote Awareness card filled with tips and fun facts about living alongside wildlife. These activities were designed to make learning interactive, memorable, and accessible for children of all ages.

Our goal is simple: to help children see coyotes not as creatures to fear, but as shy and intelligent animals that share our community. By fostering understanding and respect, we hope to inspire the next generation to practice coexistence and stewardship of the natural world around them.

After all, kindness and empathy do not stop with our pets—they extend to wildlife as well.

World Kindness Day will be our celebrated tradition. It is a day when we not only remind but spread Kindness through our Kindness rocks. Last year, fifty rocks were unleashed into the community. This year, we managed to outdo our last year effort by 4 rocks. We are pleased to see our rocks found their way into people’s lives. This year we also created the pocket Kindness rocks so they can go with you anywhere.

Often misunderstood as a Mexican version of Halloween, this sacred tradition celebrates the opening of Heaven's Gate and the Rainbow Bridge, allowing us to reconnect with our beloved pets who have passed. This "ofrenda" is a community pet altar to provide space for us to come together, share memories and celebrate the lives of our furry friends. It is believed that the presence of marigolds open the Rainbow Bridge. We encouraged the community to write their deceased companion’s name on the provided paper marigold and share them with us. The event was well received. We shared their names here - we hope people and their pets reunited in spirits.

We celebrated Rainbow Bridge Memorial for our second year inviting the community to create and share their companion pets memorial rocks with us. The response was overwhelming.

We finally have our own store. Our goal is to spread “kindness” through wearables. We carry limited categories of merchandises but plan to have campaigns when applicable. Our last campaign was our Kitty Summer Camp.

Our first summer camp! This is a community collaboration between Life of Kai, Community Cat Project and Cat Tales cat clinic. The camp is open to children age 7-11 to learn about cat pets and community cats. We look forward to read stories about cats and to do lots of hands on activities to reinforce what we learn.

One of the favorite activities was to visit the Tabby Lounge where the children get to play with the kitties that are available to be adopted.

Storytelling is a big part of humane education. We read titles with kindness theme that are age appropriate.

The overwhelming success of Kai Kind Library for adults gave us the motivation to create our second Little Library - for kids. We call it Empathy Kids Library. Our goal is to pair Red Rover curated children books on empathy and compassion stocked at the library with our Kind is Cool program. We celebrated the opening with coloring pages and stickers for kids.

New Event at the library: Life of Kai’s “Kind is Cool” initiative is our cornerstone humane education program designed to foster compassion, respect, and empathy in children towards all living beings, including animals, whether pets or wildlife. When it comes to animals, domestic or wild, the lessons are particularly poignant, as these creatures often directly interact with human environments, necessitating a harmonious coexistence. We seize the opportunity to support the work of Debbie Cooper, our local naturalist to highlight co-existence with our coyotes with our Lending Library between March 7-27.

We are fortunte to share Davis with several coyotes allowing us to learn about them and foster harmonious relationship with our wildlife that share our daily spaces. A core component of humane education is encouraging co-existence as a pathway to kindness.

We want to dispel myths and address fears about coyotes, highlighting their vital role in maintaining ecological balance and the challenges they encounter. Key lessons on practical coexistence - like securing trash to prevent scavenging, keeping pets safe during coyote active hours such as dawn and dusk, and maintaining a respectful distance - aim not only at safeguarding our community but also at teaching both children and adults about our shared responsibility to live respectfully alongside other species.

We hope to shift perceptions of coyotes from being seen as threats to valued members of the ecosystem with their own needs and rights. We want our humane education benefits the animals and enriches everyone’s lives by fostering a sense of stewardship and connection to the natural world.

These wonderful photographs by Debbie Cooper, our local naturalist, captured the beauty of this small and very friendly neighborhood coyote.

Here is our list of books for children:

1. Coyote’s Wild Home by Lily and Barbara Kingsolver

2. Coyote by Tyler Grady (non-fiction about coyotes to teach kids)

3. At the Edge of the Forest by Jonathan London

4. Coyote - A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest by Gerald McDermott

5. Coyote Autumn by Bill Wallace

6. Hungry Coyote by Cheryl Blackford and Amparo Ortiz

7. Claire’s Coyote Friends by Christy Burbridge

Here are the books for adults:

1. Coyote America by Dan Flores

2. Coyote Conversations by Mark Surls

3. The Voice of the Coyote by J.Frank Dobie

4. Coyotes Among Us by Standley D. Gehrt

5. God’s Dog by Hope Ryden

Coyote Awareness Coloring Book

Click “Coyote Awareness Coloring Book” to access