The Women’s National Book Association has awarded its centennial award, the Second Century Prize, to Little Free Library. This prize is a $5,000 grant to an organization that supports the power of reading, past, present, and into the future.
How suitable that Little Free Library has received this award — it has certainly been an innovative project That promotes reading for all ages, but especially children, by building free book exchanges. It was founded in Hudson, Wisconsin, by Todd Bol to honor his mother, a school teacher. In just eight years the organization has become an international movement of mini-libraries sharing the message of “give one, take one.” LFL has over 50,000 libraries in 70+ countries with millions of books exchanged annually.
Not to rest on its original concept, Little Free Library is always innovating. Its Kids, Community, and Cops program helps police departments set up book exchanges in their precincts), and its Action Book ClubTM encourages social engagement through shared reading.
Congratulations, Little Free Library!