Jefferson City welcomed a very small new “business” on Winston Drive this past fall. The Little Free Library opened to the public, offering a free book to patrons with the encouragement to return a book as well. Leslie Davis, the steward of the new local Little Free Library, has always had a passion for reading and owned a vast collection of books. With a bookshelf in every room of her home, she would let the neighborhood kids come over and borrow from her personal library.
The Little Free Library concept, originated by Todd Bol of Hudson, WI in 2009, was developed to honor his book-loving, retired school teacher mother. Bol built a small replica of a one room school house in his front yard, filled it with books and affixed a sign: Free Books. From there, the movement has expanded. Since then, more than 2,510 Little Free Libraries have been registered. It is now estimated that there are between 10,000 and 12,000 Little Free Libraries throughout the world.
When Davis read about the Little Free Library organization in a magazine article, she knew it was something she would love to do. She discussed the idea with a close friend and with his help, designed and built her own library. After its installation, they registered with the organization and now gladly welcome any and all patrons. For those interested, Leslie Davis’ Little Free Library is located at 1012 Winston Drive, Jefferson City.
For additional information, please visit www.littlefreelibrary.org.