Little Free Libraries?

Little Free Library 2505 By Amy Hansen

What are those little houses in front of people’s houses? Glad you asked! Those are Little Free Libraries that your neighbors have put up to swap books with you! No membership needed, simply take a peek inside the library and take a book that interests you. Return later with books you’d like to share!

Little Free Libraries were started in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin. He built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, a former school teacher who loved reading. He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it. He built several more and gave them away. Each one had a sign that said FREE BOOKS. There are now nearly 15,000 Little Free Libraries across the globe, including Afghanistan, China, Uganda, Brazil, Iceland, and Qatar. *

The good news for Montlakers is that there are five Little Free Libraries in our neighborhood! One of the best kept secrets I’ve found about our neighborhood’s Little Free Libraries is that new books often show up here much faster than they become available on the hold queue at the public library. Also, some libraries stock children’s books, so be sure to look. Consider gathering up a few books you’re done reading and taking a walking tour our neighborhood libraries. Happy Reading!