At one time, Sarah Cochran's bright blue outdoor library transported her through time and space. Now, it's a pile of broken boards on her front lawn.

Designed to look like Doctor Who's time machine known as the TARDIS, Cochran installed the library this summer. Neighbours often came and went from the site, picking up or dropping off books.

On New Year's Eve, Cochran said partiers smashed the library to pieces.

"It's really frustrating because it's something the community really enjoys," she said.

Cochran said the bright blue box had become beloved by the community.

"We had assumed it would be kids who would vandalized it, but that hasn't happened," she said. "Everybody's been really good about it, and lots of kids (were) hanging out around it and putting new books in."

The amateur librarian got the idea for the box's bright blue look after a neighbour was tearing out cupboards, and donated the wood.

"We were very fortunate with it," she said. "One of the neighbours had donated the materials. We're not handy, and we didn't know how we were going to build a little library. We just knew we wanted to."

She said neighbours have already offered their help to rebuild.