Books available at Little Free Library

By Ava Alers

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that provides free books around the globe by posting small structures with books inside. They are usually designed to be reminiscent of a building, but others may simply be a box with a door.

It is based in St. Paul, Minn., and was first founded in 2009 by Todd H. Bol. Rick Brooks then

went on to join Bol in co-founding the organization.

Their vision is to provide the opportunity for communities to read without having to worry about money, space, or privilege. They believe in free access to literature for everyone. In order to remove any possible barriers, Little Free Libraries are open 24/7, seven days a week.

All individuals are allowed to take books, as well as provide books to the library. This creates a wide range of variety in literature, including books representing BIPOC and other diverse communities that may otherwise be underrepresented in media.

Little Free Libraries believes in community and collaboration, which is why they allow volunteers to behave as stewards for these libraries. The ability for volunteers to create and watch over these small structures allows for there to be a wide spread of these buildings across the world.

Not only does this promote the expansion of this organization, but it also provides volunteers with a chance to create a better bond in the community, furthering the positive impact of these book exchanges. According to the Little Free Library website, 72% of volunteer stewards have met more neighbors because of these exchanges, and 98% of people claim that their neighborhoods feel like a more friendly place when these are installed.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, “61% of U.S. children living at or below the poverty line have no books at home.”

Little Free Libraries aims to decrease that percentage, providing free books to children and adults of all communities, regardless of class, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

They hope that the more free access to literature, the more people will grow to love reading and become better at it, increasing literacy rates.

The organization has created the “Impact Library Program.’ This program provides Little Free

Libraries to towns where there is less access to books for no cost. Through this program, they’ve provided over 3,000 book exchanges.

There are a wide range of these buildings littered around the world and many in Connecticut. Check out this Google map.

Here is a map where you may search for the nearest Little Free Library near you!

Photo: Little Free Library World Map at littlefreelibrary.org/map/

Little Free Libraries may be small in stature, but they have a large positive impact on communities!

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