Little Free Library plans to work with local organizations to install and maintain book-sharing boxes in all communities in the U.S. that lack easy access to books, the nonprofit literacy organization announced this week. The organization estimates that 2,500 book-sharing boxes will be set up and maintained in order to fulfill this goal.
To date, there are 150,000 registered LFL book-sharing boxes around the world. Approximately 300 million books have been shared via these boxes since LFL was founded by the late Todd Bol in 2009. The organization’s headquarters is in St. Paul, Minn.
"The Little Free Library network has grown significantly of late and we want to leverage that growth to support communities that have limited book resources," executive director Greig Metzger said in a statement. "Our strategic-plan goal is to place and sustain a Little Free Library book exchange in 2,500 identified census tracts across the United States where book access is limited.” Metzger added that LFL is actively seeking both funding and partners to help them implement this initiative.
LFL outlined three ways for organizations in communities with book deserts to work with the nonprofit: installing LFL book-sharing boxes; maintaining the boxes by keeping them full of books; and/or financially supporting LFL’s strategic plan activities. LFL’s website contains a community partner application for those wanting to participate.
This spring, LFL also launched its Indigenous Library Program to install and maintain book-sharing libraries on reservations and in other communities in the U.S. and Canada with large Indigenous populations, as such communities are often under-served.
