“The only thing you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library,” and in some places these libraries are very small, but mighty

Several years ago, while I was out running, I saw a birdfeeder-sized, house-shaped, gaily painted cabinet mounted on a wooden pole next to the sidewalk. When I went over to investigate I saw, through glass doors, that there were books on shelves inside the cabinet. Nailed to the front of cabinet beneath the doors there was a metal plaque like this one:

I opened the doors of the little cabinet and within I found an interesting collection of books. One was a novel that I’d wanted to read for a while, so I took it. 

   When I got home I checked out the website mentioned on the plaque and learned all about the Little Free Library movement. The concept is simple. Little Free Libraries are just what they sound like—miniature libraries full of free books. You can take a book from the library, and then either return it when you finish or add a new book to the collection. Some Little Free Libraries even have journals where visitors can record thoughts, or even make requests for certain books. Beyond encouraging reading and promoting literacy, Little Free Libraries develop community bonds as adults and children interact and engage with people of all ages in their neighborhood.

   So where did these boxes come from and how did they become so widespread? In 2009, Todd Bol built a model of a one-room schoolhouse to honor his mother who had been a teacher and avid reader. He set the model on a post in his front yard and filled it with books for people to take and return as a tribute to her memory. The neighborhood loved it and encouraged him to make more for other areas.

   Rick Brooks, the outreach program manager for the UW-Madison, heard about Todd’s first book exchange while at a conference discussing social enterprises. He quickly appreciated Todd’s project and the social entrepreneurial implications it had. Expanding the project would add to the efforts of other notable figures (Andrew Carnegie, for example) who hoped to encourage and promote reading and literacy around the country, and even the world. Capitalizing on neighborhood kiosks, the sharing network for cars, and “take a book, leave a book” collections in coffee shops, the pair finalized the mission and purpose that had been inspired by a small, neighborhood project. Co-founded by Brooks and Bol, a non-profit organization was formed, and they named it LittleFreeLibrary.org. Today, almost sixteen years later, there are more than 200,000 Little Free Libraries in one hundred and twenty-eight countries around the world, and more are being built each day.

   The beauty of the project is the customizability. There are no set rules about what a Little Free Library has to look like or where it has to be. If outside, weather-proofing is obviously important, but these libraries can also take the shape of wicker basket crates in apartment buildings, or shelves in a community center. Sharing books and strengthening communities are the objectives, and those ideals can take many forms.

   Being a life-long, confirmed, library lover, I absolutely love the whole idea of Little Free Libraries. Since I saw my first one here in Ashland, a veritable flock of Little Free Libraries have popped up all over town. I have donated and taken books from them and often have a bag of books in my car just in case I encounter a LFL during my perambulations. During vacations I have seen Little Free Libraries

around my state, in New York City, in Boston, and even in Dublin. 

   Some people have created uncommonly creative, beautiful, whimsical, or artistic LFLs. I’ve seen purchased LFLs, and I’ve seen objects that have been repurposed to serve as LFLs. Every time I see, and if possible peruse, one of these small but powerful tributes to the written word, my heart is happy.

   If you would like to add a Little Free Library to your neighborhood, the process is pretty straightforward. First, find a spot easily accessible that already has abundant foot traffic. The Little Free Library needs a steward, someone who will monitor and maintain the structure as well make sure that there are books inside. The actual library itself can either be bought online or built. If you choose to build your own ‘official’ Little Free Library, you must register it with littlefreelibrary.org so that they can give you a charter and endorsed your library for use. Of course, you don’t have to work with the folks at littlefreelibrary.org, but there is an advantage to taking this ‘official’ root; your library will be added to an online map that can be accessed from the website and on an app. Yes indeed, littlefreelibrary.org has an app that helps you find LFLs all over the world. There is also an online LFL community on Facebook.

   So, dear neighbors, here is a way for you to make a real difference in the world; give your neighbors, passersby, and even out-of-town visitors access to free books. For as Albert Einstein said, “The only thing you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Einstein could not have delivered a more perfectly compact yet weighted quote to encompass the importance of libraries. Even very little ones.

Note: I have discovered that there is no word for people who love libraries. What calumny is this! Most …phile words have Greek or Latin root. In Latin the word for library is biblioteca. So, bibliotecaphile? The Greek word is similar and would create bibliotekiphile. Both of these words feel clumsy in my mouth when I say them and are far from idea. However the Latin version flows better, I think, so for now I’ll go with that.