The Amazing Power of Little Free Libraries

Have you ever seen one of these?

It’s a Little Free Library, a symbol of ordinary people doing simple acts of service to accomplish extraordinary things.

The Story Behind Little Free Libraries

It all started in 2009 when Todd Bol built the first library, a miniature one room school-house, to honor his mother, a passionate teacher and reader. He placed books inside and stuck it out in the yard of his Hudson, WI home with a sign that said “free books”. His neighbors loved the idea, so he made more.

Soon, Rick Brooks of the University of Wisconsin at Madison joined Bol, and together they started a non-profit agency dedicated to establishing 2,510 Free Little Libraries around the world.  Andrew Carnegie inspired their goal; the philanthropist established 2509 free public libraries around the turn of the 20th century.

By July 2015, over 30,000 Little Free Libraries were registered.  Talk about exceeding expectations!  The new goal: 50,000 by 2017.

Here’s the mission of Little Free Library:

To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.

Anyone can sponsor a Little Free Library, from families and individuals to schools and community service groups.  All it takes is:

• an upfront investment to build the library and fill it with high quality books (the site sells kits for $1000); also $40 for a registration packet
• consistent maintenance of the book selection and the library itself.  Unfortunately, the weather and vandals damage the libraries

Important facts about Little Free Libraries:

• They are often placed in high need areas of communities, e.g. near food banks, domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, and social service agencies, and in neighborhoods far from a public library.
• They should not replace public libraries but serve as another outreach program to encourage reading and literacy.  Many Little Free Libraries partner with local public libraries.
• They are constructed of recycled material, and each library has its unique style, inspired by its community.  You can build your own or order a kit.
• Little Free Libraries run on an honor system; patrons don’t have to return the exact book they take, but they are encouraged to leave a replacement.
• The libraries aren’t just about books, they’re about connection.  Many Little Free Library stewards report that the libraries become community gathering places.  People who never talked before are now standing around, discussing books.

Honestly, I chose to write about Little Free Libraries because I found the one in a park and thought it was cool.  But while I researched, an idea blossomed: “I should do this.”  A map of Little Free Libraries in Virginia shows there are none within a thirty mile radius of my town, and in fact, most of southwest Virginia doesn’t have any Little Free Libraries.  Yet, this is the poorest part of the state.

I seriously want to try.  Not today, with  four kids participating in five different sports and me barely keeping my chin above water.  But in five years, yes.  In the meantime, I’ll research. Talk to my friends at the public library, school libraries, and church. Figure out a good place to put one and find a community organization to help me sponsor it.

See if my kids want in, too.

Wanna join me?

To learn more about Little Free Libraries or to donate, please visit LittleFreeLibrary.org

Have you ever seen or used a Little Free Library?  Would you consider sponsoring one in your community?

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