Tiny Libraries Connect Neighborhoods, One Book at a Time
Tiny Libraries Connect Neighborhoods, One Book at a Time
When Todd Bol installed a handcrafted box in his front yard and filled it with giveaway books as a tribute to his late mother, he didn’t realize the neighborly gesture would ignite a global movement.
That first “Little Free Library,” a miniature schoolhouse inviting passersby to take or donate a book, was such a hit with Mr. Bol’s neighbors in Hudson, Wis., that some offered to put similar boxes in their own yards. So over the past three years he built more tiny libraries and teamed with Rick Brooks, a fellow nonprofit veteran, to offer them in more towns.
“People will come up and hug the libraries when we install them,” says Mr. Bol.
Since 2009, more than 2,500 boxes with “Little Free Library” signs have sprouted up in more than 40 states and countries, including Germany, Ghana, and India. Word of mouth, social media, and news coverage have fueled the expansion.
“We started with no start-up capital, no office, no staff, and here we are,” says Mr. Brooks. “I’ve been doing community-development work for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”