Little Free Library is a nonprofit organisation that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and sparks creativity by fostering neighbourhood book exchanges around the world.
Through Little Free Libraries, millions of books are exchanged each year, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds.
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The first little library opened in 2009 in Hudson, Wisconsin, a model of a one room schoolhouse as a tribute to Todd Bol's mother. Esther Bol was a teacher who loved to read so Todd filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it, so he built several more and gave them away.
Together with Rick Brooks the two saw opportunities to achieve a variety of goals for the common good, inspired by community gift-sharing networks, “take a book, leave a book” collections in coffee shops and public spaces, and most especially by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
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Around the turn of the 20th century, Carnegie set a goal to fund the creation of 2,508 free public libraries across the English-speaking world.
That goal inspired Brooks and Bol to set their own goal of surpassing 2,508 Little Free Libraries by the end 2013. They wound up exceeding that goal in August of 2012, a year and a half before their target date.
In 2010, the name Little Free Library was established and the purpose of these Little Free Library book exchanges became clear: to share good books and bring communities together. By the end of 2012 there were over 4,000 Little Free Libraries across the USA. Four years later there are over 50,000 registered Little Free Libraries in all U.S. states and over 70 countries. |
Here in New Plymouth, there are at least three Little Free Libraries, see Tiny libraries sprouting up in the Taranaki suburbs
See if you can find any others.
Remember the idea is to leave a book when you take a book, but the steward (the LFL owner/Librarian) doesn't mind if people take a book without adding one of their own.
This LFL is a little different with a shelf for taking, giving or exchanging fresh garden produce.
Please be considerate of the stewards and their neighbours as this little free library is actually attached to the house. In any event please sign the geocaching log. |
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