Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault
GROWING UP on a farm in rural southwestern Minnesota, all I ever really desired in my hometown was a library, a place where I could check out books and then read to my heart’s content.
Today Vesta, population around 340, still doesn’t have a library, although the bookmobile stops along the one-block Main Street once a month.
Fortunately I have, for nearly 30 years, lived within blocks of Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault. I go there often as did my three children, all of whom possess a deep passion for reading.
Just like Joan Smith of Faribault.
Joan, a member of the Rice County Library Board, loves reading and books so much—she can’t pass up a bookstore—that she and husband Dale have opened a library, in their front yard on Faribault’s south side.
As part of a growing world-wide “Little Free Library” movement, this retired couple decided, when encouraged by fellow book lover and library board member Pat Rice, to start a free library.
Dale, known for the log cabin style birdhouses he crafts and sells, had the skills to build the little library. The Smiths sized up books before deciding on the dimensions of 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep.
I counted 31 books in the Smiths' Little Library when I stopped to photograph it. "We all find ourselves with too many books," Joan says. "We need a place to share them." Her place is a Little Library.
That's the Smiths' house to the right at 825 Sixth Ave. SW. Feel free to knock on the door to drop off books, ask questions or thank them. Or simply drop by, open the library plexiglass door and take and/or leave a book.
Shortly before Halloween, the Little Library, situated atop a post at Joan’s eye level and within about a foot of the Fifth and Sixth Avenues Southwest sidewalk intersection, opened. (And, yes, folks, I got that right; two avenues do intersect by the Smiths’ house at 825 Sixth Avenue Southwest.)
Detailed with doors, windows and shutters, the Little Library stands at the intersection of Fifth Ave. S.W. and Sixth Ave. S.W. Here's a back view of the library Dale built.
Joan gushes over a project that shares her passion for reading and which she hopes will get others excited about reading and using the local public library.
“It’s (Little Library) another step toward reading and becoming a lover of books,” she enthuses.
Joan enjoys books, always has, ever since she was a young child living in Mankato, the childhood home of author Maud Hart Lovelace. Her mother read Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series to Joan as well as Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
Later, when the family settled in the Faribault area, Joan attended a country school with less than two dozen old books on a library shelf. But her mother took her to Buckham Memorial Library, a place with plenty of books.
Joan understands the importance of reading to success in education. Although few children live in her neighborhood, Joan encourages her neighbors to grab a book from the Little Library when the grandchildren visit. She also wants the Faribault community to know: “This is for everybody and you’re welcome to come.” Already, those outside the neighborhood are stopping at the library.
It’s a library without rules or library cards. Take a book. Take a book and leave a book. Leave a book. Whatever works, Joan doesn’t care as long as people are reading.
You never know what books you'll find in the Little Library. Joan says she momentarily panicked after spotting a book with a library label. Turns out the donated book was a library discard.
She’s stocked the Little Library with books gathered from her home and from family members: mysteries and westerns, easy-reader children’s books and picture books, classics and the popular vampire series for teens and, well, whatever Joan collects, buys or no longer needs.
And, yes, the Smiths are accepting donations to their library. They’ve been asked, “What if everyone starts bringing you books?”
“That wouldn’t be a problem,” Joan responds. If she can’t use the books in their library, she’ll donate them wherever they are needed.
Dale Smith is open to considering requests to build little libraries. But the couple encourages interested individuals to construct their own libraries. (Dale’s pretty busy with that birdhouse building.)
Joan hopes their Little Library in southwest Faribault inspires others to open mini libraries and to read, yes, to read.
The Little Library is located right next to the sidewalk in the Smiths' front yard.
A front view of the Little Library looking toward Fifth Avenue Southwest.
FYI: Click here to visit littlefreelibrary.org for details on this library movement, including locations of existing libraries and how to start your own.
The website lists the following Little Free Library sites in Minnesota:
- 3141 Pennsylvania Avenue South in St. Louis Park
- 3442 Lake Elmo Avenue North in Lake Elmo
- Soo Visual Arts Center, 2638 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
- 705 E. Fourth Street, St. Paul
- 1220 Minnesota Avenue, Detroit Lakes (Click here to read a Lake Region Writers Network blog post about the Minnesota (Ave) Reads library started by Ruth Solie and Julie Sanders.)
If you know of a Little Free Library in your neighborhood or plan to open one, submit a comment. I’d like to hear.
I’D LIKE TO CHALLENGE the residents of Vesta to start a Little Free Library. How about in or near the Vesta Cafe? Make my dream of a library in my hometown come true. I’ll even bring some books for the library the next time I’m “back home.”
Main Street Vesta and the Vesta Cafe, perhaps the perfect spot for a Little Free Library.
And I was thinking… maybe I should open a Little Free Library. I live along a well-traveled street in Faribault with lots of kids in the neighborhood. I love books, love to read… Say, Dale, are you up to building another library?
© Copyright 2011 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
This is such a lovely idea but you need to leave a good book in return for taking one. Though maybe it’s something libraries should start thinking of doing to keep them going in the future?
Yes, a good idea to leave a book if you take one, although I specifically asked Joan this question and she was fine with people just “taking.”
I’m Joan’s daughter and agree- please take a book even if you do not have one to leave behind. Our mission is to promote reading.
This Little Library is such a fine way to promote reading. I’ve already heard from two individuals who may be opening little libraries. Your family serves as a fine inspiration. Thank you.
I saw one of these by Lake Harriet—I even took one of their business cards in anticipation of telling you to blog about this!
Well, thank you for thinking of me. I would love to see one of these placed in Vesta. I have an uncle or two who are into woodworking, so if no one else volunteers to build a Little Free Library in Vesta, maybe one of them will. And then I’ll need a volunteer to serve as a library steward. Anyone in Vesta up to this project?
My brother and I have been talking about setting up a couple in DC. We haven’t done it yet, but this is inspiration. I have more books than I need and even though I often donate to our books to prisons project, I still have so many.
You should. Please report back to me when you’ve opened your libraries. I just think the Little Free Library is the most wonderful concept.
Audrey,
Thanks so much for the nice story and photographs, and even more thanks for encouraging others to create Little Free Libraries where they live. We are a bit behind on posting the new Libraries on the Google Map because there are so many! It’s especially fun to see the variety of building styles and ideas for sharing this idea with neighbors. If you haven’t yet visited the Facebook Little Free Library group, you’ll notice more than 600 people have already chimed in with terrific photos and stories. Now a prison woodworking program, several cities and universities, a Kansas woodworking guild and more than a score of individual carpenters are involved. And the Walker Art Museum would like a Little Library for its sculpture garden! Very exciting. Again, thanks. –Rick, http://www.littlefreelibrary.org
Well, you are most welcome. I think this whole Little Free Libraries concept is simply a great idea. I would especially like to see these libraries sprout up in small towns without libraries, like in my hometown of Vesta. What a difference these could make to children, adults and others without easy access to a library. If you live in a small town, please consider building a Little Free Library.
Hi, Audrey — I have a Little Free Library (#34) in my yard in Detroit Lakes and love it — you apparently read about it in my Lake Region Writers Network blog post. And I greatly appreciate being included in your blog posts.
I’d be very supportive of all efforts to increase the number of libraries — of any kind — in small towns and rural areas of Minnesota. The Little Free Libraries are a possibility for any community! My own experience is that the books come and go at a fairly brisk rate — some people take something and bring something at another time; some just take something; others just donate. I have a good supply of books if the collection begins to dwindle, but so far it works well as an exchange where no one is keeping close count on who takes or who brings books.
One thing I have noticed is that the neighborhood has taken ownership of it and watches out for its well being; it is also a place where people strike up conversations with people they have never met before; and some times it is just the neighborhood “water cooler” where folks congregate, briefly, to catch up or share news.
Todd Bol and Rick Brooks are great supporters of the movement they started — but ultimately it is people like you and me that transform their great idea into a neighborhood reality. I wish you luck with one in Vesta and hope it is soon a reality! I’m working to support more in northwest Minnesota and hope we see a proliferation of them everywhere.
Yes, Ruth, I did read about your Little Free Library in Detroit Lakes on the Lake Region Writers Network blog on the same day I learned of the one in Faribault. Thanks for the report on the success of yours. It inspires me.
I hope I can find someone in Vesta to start one. I think next spring may be a good time to aim for opening one there.
I love the whole concept of getting books out there and bringing people together.
Please keep me posted on any others you may inspire people to open.