Little free libraries take over Indy
Thom Woodard visits a different thrift store almost every day to keep up with the demand for books at his little free library.
The wooden box on a post, no bigger than a newsstand, sits near a bus stop in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood. Patrons shuffle through paperbacks while they wait for their ride.
A few miles up the road another microlibrary on Illinois Street has its own set of patrons.
Drive a bit farther and more tiny libraries built by Hoosiers aren’t hard to find. Many resemble miniature cottages with windows and doors.
Three years ago 12 of these Little Free Libraries were registered in Indiana. About 200 are scattered across the state today. Of those, half popped up in the past year.
“This is one of the best things I’ve seen in the neighborhood in a long time,” Bettina McCloud told a smiling Woodard. “My children just love to read.”
McCloud came across Woodard’s little library while waiting for the bus at the corner of Illinois and 40th streets. She has picked up works by Rudyard Kipling, a book about bullying for her son and a copy of "Bambi" for her daughter.
The closet library is a short drive away on College Avenue, but it's not always as convenient as having a library at your bus stop.
“Gee whiz,” McCloud said. “This is right here.”
Little libraries were popularized by Todd Bol, a Wisconsin man who built one in 2009 as a tribute to his mother. Now, at least about 33,000 exist worldwide, said Megan Hanson, community and engagement leader for LittleFreeLibrary.org, the Wisconsin-based nonprofit that keeps track of the literary endeavors. Not every steward registers his or her library, she explained.
For patrons, the concept is simple.
Take a book you want. Leave a book if you’d like. That’s it.
There’s no due dates or late fees, and if you fall in love with the book you borrowed, you can keep it, guilt-free.
For library owners, their own pocketbook and ambition determine the scale.
The cost to build or buy a little library range from about $40 to $1 million. Simpson’s creator Matt Groening designed that seven-figure one, available for purchase on LittleFreeLibray.org as a fundraiser for the nonprofit. The wooden box comes decked out with drawings of the Simpsons characters.
Woodard said he didn’t build his library for any specific reason. A few weeks ago he just decided to go for it after admiring one not far from his home. His cost about $70 to build.
"I used some paint and wood I already had laying around, " Woodard said. "The main thing that started the project was an empty speaker cabinet I got at Midland Antiques Mall for $15."
Woodard in September spent about $100 on books. He expects to get book donations from neighbors and family members, too.
Carmel Clay Public Library has opened four new little free libraries in the past year, bringing the library’s total to seven.
“People still love to read,” said Beth Jenneman, a spokeswoman for Carmel Clay Public Library. "It’s almost like a little hidden treasure, and you never know what you are going find inside."
Julie Bingham’s little library in the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood has become a staple on her street.
The Bingham family last fall hired someone to build it for about $1,000. Windows on all four sides display the books inside the white-roof library on the northeast corner of 44th and Broadway streets. The family conducted a small launch party, inviting neighbors to bring books. From "The Great Gatsby" to "The Tales of Edgar Allen Poe" to "Dracula" and local lifestyle magazines, the library offers an eclectic range of titles.
“I think people understand the whole spirit of the movement” Bingham said. "It's kind of built its own momentum."
Call Star reporter Cara Anthony at (317) 444-6049. Follow her on Twitter: @CaraRAnthony.