Margret Aldrich’s childhood was spent on a farm west of Ames reading books, often to her dog.
“I lived in a very rural community, but my dad always took time to take me to our small-town public library once a week so I could stock up on books,” Aldrich recalled.
As an adult, she works for thousands of libraries at once — libraries that don’t require cards, catalogs or even a building. Aldrich is the director of communications and media relations for Little Free Library (LFL), a nonprofit network of volunteers based out of Minnesota’s Twin Cities that encourages reading fans around the world to use, stock or build their own book-exchange boxes.
Before she joined the staff at LFL, Aldrich wrote the book on it — literally.
In 2014, as the world speculated whether e-readers would make print books obsolete, she penned an article for the Atlantic headlined “The Low-Tech Appeal of Little Free Libraries” while working as a freelance journalist. Shortly after, the nonprofit Minneapolis publisher Coffee House Press approached her with the idea of expanding the article into a book.
“I was thrilled to be able to learn more about it and to speak with Little Free Library stewards all over the world,” Aldrich said, recalling an interview with a young man in South Korea who, after Googling the word “library,” fell down a research rabbit hole and discovered LFL and its “treasure map” of locations. After realizing there were no Little Free Libraries in South Korea, he built his own and became a steward himself.
The Little Free Library Book came out in 2015, featuring stories from LFL’s volunteer stewards around the world. The next year, Aldrich joined the organization herself.
The original Little Free Library was a mini model of a one-room schoolhouse built in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin in honor of his mother, a teacher. He posted it in his neighborhood for anyone to take a book or share a book — a policy that inspired LFL’s slogan. Bol co-founded the organization with community builder Rick Brooks in 2010, and it became a registered 501(c)(3) in 2012.
In her experiences with LFL, Aldrich has seen boxes designed in all sorts of ways. The stand-outs were a rocket ship, a cow, a Victorian mansion and a giant sunflower.
“People who build their own Little Free Libraries and then register them with the organization get completely creative,” she said.
Eschewing the avant garde, as many LFL stewards do, Aldrich made her own box using a kit supplied by the nonprofit. She installed it in her neighborhood and immediately saw the impact.
“When we put up our Little Free Library, within five minutes, we had people walking down the street, crossing the street to come and see what it was,” she said. “I met neighbors who I’d never talked to before.”
In 2020, LFL had more than 100,000 sites registered around the world. These boxes took on new importance during the COVID-19 pandemic while schools and public libraries were closed.
“Folks were feeling isolated and a Little Free Library was a way to feel connected again with your community,” Aldrich said.
At the same time, a rightwing movement to ban books — in particular books about Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ and other minority experiences — began to take hold across the U.S., including states like Florida, Texas and Iowa.
LFL took notice.
“When we’re not able to read a wide variety of perspectives and experiences it really makes our world smaller and makes our world less understanding and less inclusive,” Aldrich said. “… We helped expand access to banned books, especially in states where it’s becoming more and more of an issue.”
For the past two years, LFL has been a part of the coalition that presents Banned Books Week every fall, partnering with HarperCollins for a book giveaway and Penguin Random House on redecorated ice cream trucks that would travel through the American South giving away banned and challenged books.
The spirit of free access and education behind Banned Books Week fuels public libraries year round, as well as LFL. Because those water-tight book boxes are “open” 24/7, anyone can visit at any time, including night shift workers, students or people who don’t live near a library or bookstore.
“I think that everyone should be able to make their own decisions about the books they read,” Aldrich said. Parents and guardians should guide children towards age-appropriate material, but, “I don’t think that it’s OK for a single person or a single entity to make that decision for everyone,” she continued. “I want to keep the freedom to read alive and well.”
Nearly a quarter of Americans do not regularly read, according to the Pew Research Center, and due to a range of systematic issues, rates of literacy are disproportionately lower among low-income and minority communities.
LFL has three initiatives to promote reading in a more equitable way: the Impact Library Program, providing no-cost LFLs to communities where books are scarce; the Indigenous Library Program, working to place LFLs on tribal lands, where childhood reading rates are lowest; and Read in Color, an effort to promote diverse books, and a pledge stewards can take to keep their boxes stocked with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ stories.
A steward may also pledge to welcome banned and challenged book titles in their box. Roughly a thousand stewards have registered their LFLs as banned-book-friendly so far, including 12 in Iowa. In March, an LFL dedicated to banned books was placed inside the Minnesota State Capitol.
“This Little Free Library is one way we’re doing our part to ensure books remain accessible to teach, tell our story, and inspire the next generation of readers in Minnesota,” Gov. Tim Walz said at the unveiling ceremony.
The Office of Minnesota Governor @Tim_Walz says their Little Free Library box filled with banned books has been a big hit with visitors. I’m grateful to have a governor who cares about the freedom to read!#bookbans #bannedbooks #minnesota #twincities #stpaul pic.twitter.com/HSeHYDR4ty
— Margret Aldrich (@MMAldrich) March 31, 2023
For resources on banned books, Aldrich recommended the Banned Books Week website and the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. To see a map of Little Free Libraries around the world, you can download LFL’s free app or visit littlefreelibrary.org/map.
“I hope that people will read a book that expands the world for them,” Aldrich said, “that helps them understand the different perspectives around them, and ultimately brings us all a little bit closer.”
Plant your own Little Free Library
Little Free Library boasts more than 170,000 sites around the world, including dozens of libraries scattered across Iowa. Think your neck of the woods could use one? LFL has made the process of joining their not-so-little network pretty simple.
Pick a site. Ideal Little Free Library locations are near heavy foot traffic, highly visible and a safe distance from roadways. Whether it’s on private or public property, be sure to get proper permission; you don’t want to hit a gas line. (Follow this how-to video from LFL for siting and installing your library)
Get crafty and design your lil’ library. You may also purchase a box and post at shop.littlefreelibrary.org, where the nonprofit sells a variety of styles, as well as building kits, ranging from $190 to $420.
Buy a charter sign ($40 in the online shop, or free with your box purchase). This registers your location with the LFL network.
Appoint a steward to serve as the library’s caretaker, or take up the mantle yourself. Set up an account on the LFL website or app to add your site to the world map.
Fill the box with new or used reading material. Encourage folks to “take a book, share a book” to their hearts’ content!
Support your local banned book library
Stewards of these LFLs have promised to stock banned and challenged titles.
Little Free Library
806 S 2nd St, Fairfield
E. June Solt-Wishman Free Banned Book Library
302 Morningside Dr, Iowa City
“My Grandma June had been a librarian in Iowa for 25+ years. So, it makes sense to name it after her,” wrote Mitchell Lingo, who built this LFL with his wife Ellie, in a June tweet. “The book ban law would have her rolling over in her grave. Living next to Iowa City High School, we decided to doubly honor Grandma by making this a ‘free banned book’ library for local students to have access to banned books of the past, present, and future.”
Charlie & Tucker’s Library
713 Kimball Ave, Iowa City
Little Free Library
2310 Poplar St, Coralville
Gemstone’s Little Library
3964 Peridot Dr, Marion
Little Free Library
401 Hansel St, Manchester
Little Free Library
417 1st Ave NE, Waverly
Harriet Curley Library
Forest Ave & 13th St, Des Moines
This super-sized, walk-in LFL was created by Jake Sahr and Pascha Morgan, co-founders of the local Out of the Box Initiative, which seeks to improve educational outcomes among minority students. It was named for Harriet Curley, the first Black teacher in the Des Moines Public School District, and stocked with books by people of color. Note: Hours are limited. For more info, email theoutoftheboxinitiative@gmail.com.
We Stand with the Banned
615 N 1st Ave, Winterset
“Read Banned Books”
9083 NW 73rd St, Johnston
This LFL was built by loved ones of Stephanie Bakalar, who died on Feb. 14, 2022. “Her last Facebook profile picture was a list of books that have been banned in public libraries or schools,” according to her obituary. “We encourage you to read a banned book, or buy one for a friend, in her memory.”
Jeremy’s Comic and Banned Book Library
4213 87th St, Urbandale
The Sweetest Little Library
3613 6th Ave, Des Moines
Emma McClatchey contributed to this article, which was originally published in Little Village’s November 2023 issue.
