Little libraries making life a ‘lil better

In an era when many conversations happen online and neighbors can live side by side for years without meeting, Little Free Libraries create opportunities for connection, one book at a time.

The neighborhood book-sharing boxes have become a familiar sight in Brookings, where 15 Little Free Libraries are registered with the organization’s website and mobile app. But for many of the people who maintain them, the libraries are about much more than books.

“When I was building it, we didn’t know anybody in our neighborhood,” said Brookings resident Alyssa DeBough. “Since it’s been built, we’ve met a lot of really nice people.”

DeBough and her husband, James, installed their Little Free Library in 2023. The couple purchased their home in 2021 after admiring it since childhood. DeBough, an artist who works primarily in oil on canvas, built the library herself from scrap wood, adjusting her design to make it watertight and adding a birdhouse under the roof. She browsed online for inspiration but didn’t follow a formal blueprint.

“I knew I wanted it big to hold a lot of books,” she said.

Located on the corner of Elmwood and 22nd Avenue, the library attracts steady traffic from walkers, bicyclists and families heading to the nearby park. “We notice a lot of people stopping by,” DeBough said. “It’s always overflowing with books.”

The abundance of donated books means she often stores extras inside the house until shelf space opens. Children’s books are especially popular. She plans to add puzzles to her library as well.

DeBough enjoys seeing the library constantly in use. “It’s fun to see the sense of community it generates,” she said.

That community-building aspect is one of the core goals of Little Free Library, the St. Paul-based nonprofit organization behind the movement.

According to the organization, there are now more than 200,000 registered Little Free Libraries worldwide, spanning all 50 states, 128 countries and all seven continents. More than 500 million books have been shared through the network since 2009. The organization’s mission is to build community, inspire readers and expand access to books.

For Brookings resident Kate Hogan, her Little Free Library serves as both a community resource and a memorial.

The library arrived at her home on Wahpeton Pass in Brookings in 2019, a gift from family members following the death of her father, Louis P. Williams, a longtime South Dakota State University professor. Williams taught in the SDSU English department from 1965 until 2006.

“I settled on painting it white and blue not only because my father loved Grecian history, but because the first edition of Joyce’s Ulysses was blue and white,” she said. “I think I got the right shade of blue.”

She appreciates both the literary and practical aspects of maintaining the library. “I like that if anyone has a book emergency at 3 a.m., I can help them out,” Hogan said.

Living on a cul-de-sac means she doesn’t always know how many visitors stop by. Still, she occasionally spots people browsing the shelves.

“We’ve sometimes seen folks on our boulevard, and once we realize it’s not curb week, we’re excited that people came for books,” she said.

The book collection in Hogan’s library reflects the eclectic nature of many Little Free Libraries. “We do have both Amish and LGBT romances holding court, along with several other genres,” she said.

What Hogan enjoys most is the idea that every Little Free Library reflects the personality of its steward and its community.

“I simply love that I live in a world where Little Free Libraries exist,” she said. “I love that thousands of these boxes exist, and each of them looks different, and each contains different multitudes. You will never find the same Little Free Library twice.”

Bri Lind, who lives on Second Street east of Medary Ave., sees similar benefits. She established her Little Free Library about three years ago in memory of her grandparents, Helen and Bill Fetzer. She hopes to promote the sense of adventure reading can inspire.

“The turnover is impressive,” Lind said of the books moving through the library, particularly during the summer months.

She believes the libraries offer something increasingly valuable in modern neighborhoods. “They build community, give people a reason to interact, and provide an opportunity for making connections.”

Lind has expanded her library beyond books, creating a “Little Free Garden” at the same location. As the summer progresses, visitors can harvest strawberries, herbs, rhubarb and other produce directly from the garden beds. A surplus rack allows neighbors to share extra produce from their own gardens as well.

Other Little Free Libraries offer donations of pantry and hygiene staples, favorite quotations, seed packets, bookmarks, and holiday-themed items. The combination of books and other resources reflects how Little Free Libraries often evolve into gathering places.

In some ways, the libraries provide a modern version of the front porch, corner store, or block party of the past. As those informal meeting places have become less common, a box filled with books can serve as an invitation to strike up a conversation.
For DeBough, that may be the most rewarding part of all.

“We love to see families walking to and from the park or stopping by on bikes,” she said.

What began as a simple book-sharing project has become something larger: a place where neighbors who might otherwise pass one another without a word can pause, connect and share a story.