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Little Free Library sprouts up on Second Avenue

WORTHINGTON -- A Little Free Library has sprouted up along Second Avenue in downtown Worthington, and just as the name implies, it offers free books for those who can't resist a good read.

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Mike Woll stands next to the Little Free Library erected along Second Avenue, behind his downtown Worthington business. The library has a selection of books for both children and adults, and is meant to encourage reading. Woll said there are lots of children living in the neighborhood near his business. (Julie Buntjer / The Globe)

WORTHINGTON - A Little Free Library has sprouted up along Second Avenue in downtown Worthington, and just as the name implies, it offers free books for those who can’t resist a good read.

On Thursday, Mike Woll and his staff erected the painted wooden box on a post behind his business, and within a short walking distance from a residential neighborhood. The box was quickly filled with a selection of books for both children and adults.

“We have a lot of kids in the neighborhood that I think don’t always have access to books,” Woll said. “We want to inspire a bit, or encourage them to be readers and have books in their home that they can enjoy and share.”

The Little Free Library project has become a worldwide phenomenon since Todd Bol built the first free book box in 2009 in honor of his mother, a former country school teacher, and placed it in the front yard of his Hudson, Wis. home. The book exchange quickly drew interest, and Bol made many more Little Free Library book boxes for friends.

Today, just nine years later, more than 75,000 Little Free Library book exchanges have been registered through the non-profit organization, spanning 88 countries.

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Woll said both of his sisters have added a Little Free Library in front of their homes - one in Decorah, Iowa, and the other in Minneapolis.

“As you go through Minneapolis, Little Free Libraries are exploding everywhere,” he added.

The Little Free Library Woll erected came from his brother-in-law, who works in the publishing business. The company created a how-to guide for building one of the book exchanges, and since they already had a Little Free Library in front of their home, they offered the extra one to Woll.

“A couple of people have already dropped books off,” said Woll, who also had a stockpile of his own to add to the library. While the concept is to take a book or leave a book, Woll said he’s already planning to stock up on a selection of books during the Nobles County Library Book Sale next month in order to keep the book exchange supplied with a variety for both children and adults.

“If someone would like to grab a book and read it, more power to them,” he said. “And if it gets back to us in good shape that’s wonderful, too. If it doesn’t (come back), enjoy the book.”

Woll said he likes the mission of the Little Free Library - one of building communities, sparking creativity and inspiring readers.

“It’s a neat, positive phenomenon going on in the world,” he said, adding that he was inspired by another Little Free Library in town. There’s one in a residential neighborhood along Lake Street.

The Little Free Library is in no way meant to take away from the Nobles County Library, Woll said, adding that he hopes it only inspires more people to read and visit their local library.

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Plans and blueprints for building a Little Free Library are available at littlefreelibrary.org. The website also includes a map of where the libraries are located around the world and helpful hints for getting started. Kits and pre-built Little Free Library boxes are also available for purchase on the site.

Julie Buntjer became editor of The Globe in July 2021, after working as a beat reporter at the Worthington newspaper since December 2003. She has a bachelor's degree in agriculture journalism from South Dakota State University.

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