Residents of Fraser Heights are rallying to rebuild a popular "little free library" torched by young arsonists Sunday evening, Dec. 22.

First built at Erma Stephenson Park a decade ago, the wood structure is where people can drop off books for others to pick up and read.

The library has been vandalized a few times over the years but never completely gutted by fire, until now.

"The plexiglass windows sometimes get broken and the door's been ripped off, or the roof shingles get pulled up and thrown around," said , "keeper" of the little library with family. "My husband's a home-builder so he just gets heavier-duty materials to put into the little library every time it's been rebuilt."

Sunday, the Pickerings returned home to see firetrucks at the park and the little library ruined by flames.

"The firefighters were still there waiting for police to come, because three kids were seen running away," Pickering told the Now-Leader on Monday morning.

"We were pretty disheartened last night, and there was some tears," she added. "Luckily, the base of it is still there, where we have all the names of people who've contributed to it over the years, people who've painted it, the artwork. There's been so much work put into over the years."

Hours after the arsonists struck, Pickering launched .

"My husband (Andrew) has decided he isn't going to let a couple of punks destroy our community spirit and he's going to rebuild the library," she posted on the on Facebook.

"I got up this morning and checked, and couldn't believe how people responded," she said Monday. "Someone donated $500, it's wonderful."

Some suggest moving the library to a safer location in the park, installing a security camera and lights, and Pickering is weighing those options. 

"We always take it down for a couple of weeks around Halloween and Diwali to make sure it doesn't get damaged, because there's a lot of fireworks that go off in the park, and fireworks have been put in the library a couple of times," she said.

Soon, the little library will be rebuilt for all to use again. 

"This is pretty much the centre of the community," Pickering said. "There's the water park right next to it and the school is right there, where a lot of parents drop their kids off in the morning. That little library has hundreds of people walking past it every day. 

"Every time I put up a (Facebook) post saying, 'The library is back, it's kind of empty,' the next day it's absolutely overflowing with books and I go sort them all because it's so full," she added. "There's a lot of community spirit with that little library, which is great to see. It's something that brings people together."