‘Little Free Libraries’ Hope For Lending Revolution
Friends Todd Bol and Rick Brooks are out to beat Andrew Carnegie’s record for putting more than 2500 free public libraries in communities all over the country, many of them not much bigger than a bird house. Each library is adopted by a caretaker like Carol Elbaum who says, “We’ve met people who live a block away, and we’ve never met. And, you know, it’s interesting. Occasionally, for example, this “Children of God” is a book that we really loved. I have no idea who put it in there. But it’s just fun to see an old friend in there, you know?”
Brooks says that today, there are over 200 Little Free Libraries in 34 states and 17 countries. More info at
Little Free Library.
Not 1 to 1
They want to beat the number of libraries that Carnegie opened which was 2500. I don’t think sticking a couple books in a box equals a Carnegie library.
Maybe 2500 of the little libraries might be equal to one Carnegie library.
2500 x 2500 = 6,250,000
So when there are 6 million of these little libraries you can maybe argue that Carnegie was beat.
kudos to the guys in Wisconsin
I think it’s a fantastic thing. Saw a posting on facebook by some library people saying that they thought it kind of altered the meaning of the word library, but I disagree. Of course libraries with librarians, community events, technology and thousands of books and other resources are better, but I think “little libraries” can only serve to benefit the public.
And it’s nice to see you posting here Rochelle, do come again!!
Hi Birdie! Thanks! Decided to
Hi Birdie! Thanks! Decided to crawl out of my hole again.
Participatory art?
Calling a collection of books in a place “not bigger than a birdhouse” a library is like calling a Swiss Army Knife a workshop. The two books on my bedside table aren’t a library either nor is a bookstore. These “little free libraries” aren’t really libraries; they’re a form of participatory art ABOUT libraries.
Not that that’s a bad thing…