Birmingham Set to Get Its First Little Free Library

BIRMINGHAM, MI – Birmingham will soon be getting its first Little Free Library — a small library filled with books to be shared with friends, neighbors or passersby — in Barnum Park.

The city’s department of public services director, Lauren Woods, said the first box could be installed in April, pending approval by the Birmingham City Commission.

“It puts a little fun back into reading a hard copy book,” Wood told The Birmingham Eccentric. “Plus, it promotes the park system and provides an opportunity for the young children in the community to grab a book, read a book and return a book in a cool location.”

The first Little Free Library was built in 2009 in Hudson, WI, by Tod Bol. He wanted to honor his late mother, a school teacher and avid reader, and came up with an idea he hoped would instill in others her passion for books and reading. The idea behind the Little Free Library is to “take a book and leave a book,” with no library card involved.

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Today, there are more than 36,000 Little Free Libraries around the world, including 345 that are registered in Michigan. More than 9.3 million books are shared annually from Little Free Libraries.

“These little free libraries help support literacy and provide a form of outreach, so we’re very pleased to support the project,” library director Doug Koschik told The Eccentric.

More Little Free Libraries could be coming to Booth, Kenning and Pembroke parks.

» Photo courtesy of the city of Birmingham