A Novel Idea:
by Heather Greenwell
Walking through downtown Annapolis, or perhaps in your local neighborhood, you may have noticed a small, colorful cabinet, filled with books of all types available for the public to enjoy. These unique venues are Little Free Libraries, and they hold many treasures. The Little Free Library began in 2009 when Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one-room schoolhouse in honor of his mother. She was a teacher who loved to read. Todd filled the schoolhouse with books and placed it on a post in his front yard. His friends and neighbors enjoyed the concept so much that Todd built additional models and gave them away. Later that year, Todd took on a business partner named Rick Brooks. The two were deeply inspired by community gift-sharing networks, such as the, “take a book, leave a book” collections in coffee shops and other public spaces, and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie’s mission to fund free public libraries across the English-speaking world. In 2010, the Little Free Library Organization was born. The purpose of this global book exchange is to share good books and bring local communities together. Bol and Brooks believe that by providing access to free books in areas where they may be scarce, we can help improve the literacy of all age groups and promote a love of reading. In
Eastport - Photo credit: Sandy Biello
Galesville – Photo credit: Heather Greenwell
Deale Beach – Photo credit: Heather Greenwell
38 | THE MOTHERLODE
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