The secondary stuff often reflects the passions of the little library steward and can stretch the imagination or veer towards the practical. One woman who loves children reported that she places 4 to 5 tootsie-pops a week in her library to maintain a consistent flow of kids and their candy-happy curiosity. Some stewards have scissors dangling on a string to cut fresh herbs from a garden at the base of their library. Other neighborhoods share artistic bookmarks from one library to the next and even painted rocks designed with books or authors names. Gifts left in little libraries of origami peace cranes are known to represent kindness between neighbors in different parts of the country. Some stewards in cold climate states share knitted mittens in the winter months, stretching a string from their little library to a tree to display their offerings like waving flags to a cozy spirit. Neighbors share coupons, wet-one packets and many other neighborly essentials that cater to basic needs. It’s all the secondary stuff that gives a little library its own very special personality.

The Little Free Library nonprofit organization was founded ten years ago in Hudson, Wisconsin by my brother, Todd, with heaps of support from his wife, children, and extended family. Hudson-based Little Free Library has much to be proud of. It operates as a central network for many little libraries, tells the stories of little libraries through a successful social media network, and expands ideas for library stewards all over the world. The Bol family personally and professionally endorses all the good work of Hudson-based Little Free Library. We are pleased with their growing financial success, staff, and array of services.

Well over a year ago, Todd and I started talking about developing a new little library organization. This was long before he fell ill, and when he had way more ideas than was able to find a home for. Together we came up with the name “Share With Others” to explore a new approach to front yard sharing libraries, focusing on Todd’s specific vision of social entrepreneurship that includes an ability to move forward at a fast pace. Share With Others is now a reality (as of 1–2-19, Todd’s birthday) dedicated to advancing innovations in little libraries and finding new communities to serve. Moreover, the Bol family is honoring Todd by creating the Foundation for Front Yard Sharing. My brother’s visionary ideas will now have a home to expand from simply sharing books, to sharing hope itself.

My brother Todd Bol founded the Little Free Library Movement on the premise that neighbors want to help neighbors. His concept of front-yard sharing took off with the exchange of books, followed by the idea of Little Free Pantries for sharing food and other essentials.

My family operates two little book libraries, one at our home and the other at the Share With Others studio. These libraries are in different towns 10 miles apart, yet the neighbors in each town started bringing little life essentials such as canned goods, snacks and toiletries to sit alongside the free books.

The trend of modifying little libraries to serve as Little Free Pantries is erupting organically across America: Neighbors are taking up the idea because they know that kindness can’t be quarantined. We’ve dedicated a shelf in each of our little libraries for sharing essentials — but we want to do more.

Share With Others is the Bol family organization that’s dedicated to innovation and support for little libraries. We’re forming the Foundation for Front Yard Sharing in Todd’s name, and in his memory we’re supporting the modification of little libraries into pantries.

We’ve created an oval, cling-on decal that you can place on the plexiglass of any little library. It communicates the sharing of essentials with the words “Little Free Pantry” across the top, and also shares a message of hope: “Kindness Beyond Virus.” In the same way little libraries and pantries inspire neighbors to share, we believe the decal will inspire passersby with evidence of the hope and kindness that are alive in their neighborhood.

In memory of Todd, ShareWithOthers.net is making 1,000 decals and distributing them for free to anyone who’d like one for their neighborhood library/pantry. My brother was known for giving library gifts to communities everywhere, and we want to continue his vision. The Foundation for Front Yard Sharing also will be giving away four little libraries to communities across America after the pandemic subsides. Recipients will be chosen from neighborhoods with amazing stories of kindness as part of their Little Free Pantry experience.

After visiting hundreds of little libraries in different states, I have reviewed a range of notes taped to library windows and instructions from stewards that activate a local exchange box. I have looked for the reoccurring trends about little library messages and made a few observations along the way.

Another consistent category for little library owners relates to a concerning nature. Frequently, this is a request to limit the number of books taken to just a few, particularly in places where libraries get cleared out all at once causing dismay. It is unfortunate that sometimes firm messages are needed, but they do help establish a public standard that is reasonable. After a little library has suffered a bout of vandalism, some messages veer from a stern security warning to an appeal for mercy. These reminders tell visitors that little libraries do good work and promote a value of sharing for the whole community. Words of concern can help rally neighbors to an issue and bring the little library on a course to corrective action.

The third category of signage is inspired value statements. These are messages that embrace a general appreciation, a core cause or a kind sentiment. These posted remarks include words of global goodwill, environmental awareness, and the capacity for human generosity. These are value statements that have specific meaning to the steward and their neighborhood.

Following these types of messages, steward comments found on little libraries vary a great deal and relate to their personal set of interests. Some libraries offer a special invitation to dog owners with treats, water, and something to hold a leash. Others ask for shared words and comments in their guest books. Some invite the sharing of a garden harvest, canned goods or even painted rocks. These targeted invitations are what make little libraries work so well. It is these surprises that keeps the doors opening on sharing boxes.

Todd next placed the book shelter on a pole in his front yard and watched as a fascinating culture emerged. The friendly and approachable red school house filled with books brought his neighbors together, and the sign he attached that said to help yourself to a book or two brought smiles to their faces. People did take books, but they also added their own books creating an eco-system of sharing. This reciprocity and goodwill got Todd thinking that his idea might work elsewhere, and quickly he became the Jonny Appleseed of the Little Free Libraries, taking his mission of easy access to books through little libraries across America. As the journey unfolded, Todd founded the Hudson-based nonprofit organization Little Free Library with a friend in 2012.

Fast forward to today when front yard sharing has taken on a life of its own. Many like-minded people have come together to support the little library movement in different ways, including neighborhood associations, community groups, churches, public libraries, families, and even art collectives. Todd’s sharing concept has expanded from supporting literacy through books to helping others by providing canned goods, personal care items or household necessities, and beyond. Todd’s original idea naturally morphed into different things – something Todd embraced – and it all began as an the easy-to-do concept for everyone.

The Bol Family is committed to Todd’s vision of keeping the grassroots ideals of the Little Free Library Movement alive. We believe, as Todd did, that making and using libraries should be organic and unencumbered. Our family asks LittleFreeLibrary.org to stop applying for trademarks that inhibit the natural growth of little libraries. In June, LittleFreeLibrary.org applied for trademark control of “wooden boxes with a storage area for books”. Additionally, LittleFreeLibrary.org stakes claim to word variations beyond their trademarked name “Little Free Library”, such as “little library” and “little libraries”. The Bol’s respect the trademark; however, both “little library” and “little libraries” are common sense, generic descriptions for front yard exchange boxes and should be used freely by everyone. Our family believes these phrases do not confuse people with the LittleFreeLibrary.org brand.

The Bol Family wants only to protect the Little Free Library Movement that Todd created and represent him as only a loving family can. New leadership at LittleFreeLibrary.org is experienced at marketplace advancement and trademark expansion. Its new executive director is a former CitiBank, Morgan Stanley and Deluxe Corp. executive reporting to a board chair who is a current Wells Fargo senior executive. Their combined skillsets and business philosophies are changing Todd Bol’s direction for the Little Free Library organization. Our family is saddened by specific changes that expand and overreach LittleFreeLibrary.org’s trademark controls.

We hope that the leadership at the Little Free Library will listen to the people that made it a movement. Join us in protecting it and ask LittleFreeLibrary.org to abandon its expanded trademark applications and overreach claims. These issues can be reversed with your help by reaching out and letting LittleFreeLibrary.org know you do not support the actions of their senior leaders. 

Our Bol Family does support the devoted team of good people at LittleFreeLibrary.org. and wish to be only sharing happy stories about all things little libraries soon. We too hope these details here correct the misleading information recently reported in the Nonprofit Quarterly.