While walking through Winn Park, I came upon this Little Free Library with a red Mustang bumper and windowed doors that look like a windshield with wipers. Adorable! Todd H. Bol built the first Little Free Library in 2009 in Hudson, Wisconsin, and then founded a nonprofit with the goal of inspiring readers and strengthening communities. By 2020, there were more than 100,000 registered Little Free Libraries in 100 countries worldwide.
Academically, children growing up in homes without books are on average three years behind children in homes with lots of books, even when controlled for other key factors. One of the most successful ways to improve the reading achievement of children is to increase their access to books, especially at home. But two out of three children living in poverty have no books to call their own.
In 2013, Little Free Library was honored to receive the Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation, and Bol and his partner Rick Brooks were bestowed with the Movers and Shakers award from the American Library Association, highlighting them as thought leaders in the library industry. Little Free Library has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC Nightly News, USA Today, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Reader’s Digest, and many more.
In October 2015, Little Free Library was awarded the Library of Congress Literacy Award for its effective implementation of best practices in literacy and reading promotion. 2015 also marked the debut of The Little Free Library Book, written by Margret Aldrich and published by Coffee House Press. Thousands of people gathered in Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis on May 21, 2016, for the Little Free Library Festival to celebrate the joys of reading and sharing books.
On October 18, 2018, Todd Bol passed away from complications of pancreatic cancer. Todd spent much of his last decade working toward a world where neighbors know each other by name, and everyone has access to books. He remained dedicated to Little Free Library’s mission in his last days, saying, “I really believe in a Little Free Library on every block and a book in every hand. I believe people can fix their neighborhoods, fix their communities, develop systems of sharing, learn from each other and see that they have a better place on this planet to live.”
The Little Free Library nonprofit maintains robust programming to help bring people together, celebrate the joy of reading and encourage positive community action. Key examples are:
• IMPACT LIBRARY PROGRAM – The Impact Fund places no-cost Little Free Libraries in communities where they can truly make a difference. Recipients have included homeless shelters, schools and other areas in need of greater book access. The Impact program is made possible by individual donors and partner organizations who share a vision for spreading the joy and power of sharing books. Additional dollars come from Little Free Library’s retail sales and Library registration fees.
• ACTION BOOK CLUB – In a new twist on the traditional book club, the Action Book Club asks the question: “How can books inspire you to make the world a better place?” Participants read books on a particular theme, engage in lively discussions, and then complete a meaningful — and fun — group project to benefit their communities. This is reading and social engagement at its best.
During the coronavirus crisis, some Free Little Libraries have opted to stay open and others have closed or modified their offerings.
On March 30, the CDC shared that routine cleaning and disinfection of hard, nonporous surfaces that are frequently touched is key.
“The main point is to clean and disinfect your high-touch surfaces,” said Dr. David Berendes in a presentation hosted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “The good news is that this virus is extremely susceptible to many of the typical disinfectants that you’re already probably using. We are not concerned at all about paper-based materials like books being a transmission route.”
By now you may have already seen stories and photos of Free Little Library stewards in cities near and far transforming their book-exchange boxes.
Our Little Free Library stewards are getting creative in how they share books, too! Case in point: this colorful Little Free Library full of books that have been sanitized and wrapped for readers to take home.
In Saskatoon, Paul has stocked his little library with toilet paper in individual bags with a note of encouragement posted on the door. In the Little Free Library stewards’ Facebook group, Paul added, “Our library has not closed; instead it has become a different kind of community hub.”
Little Free Library #96784, currently closed as a book exchange, now offers passersby a laugh, complete with a light to illuminate the display and sanitizing wipes to ensure visitors can do so safely. Steward Cristie began with a “Mary Peepins” display and shared in the Little Free Library Stewards group on Facebook, “I want to change it every week” and requested book-themed ideas.
Little Free Library #55253 in Chino Hills, California has a live-in librarian who is now in “quarantine.” Steward Jane says: “I have a Little Free Library in my front yard. I really love that our neighbors use it to share books. When my husband built the library, he added a room to the side for our ‘librarian’ to live in. We’ve named her Marietta (after one of my grandmothers), and we decorate her room for holidays. We decided that Marietta needs to self-quarantine for a while, so we got her some supplies, and she is now Safe At Home! A little kindness goes a long way…be safe, friends!”
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