About our Little Free Library
The Ginsberg Center's Little Free Library is part of a national movement to foster a sense of community and promote a love of reading and awareness of a critical social justice issue around access to books. Our Little Free Library will begin its traveling schedule at the headquarters of some of our closest campus and community partners beginning in July 2014 and be planted permanently at the Ginsberg Center in Summer 2015.
Little Free Libraries are meant to promote a love of reading by providing free book exchanges, and fostering a sense of community as citizens utilize a shared public resource. Little Free Libraries launched in 2009 when Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother. He filled the model with books, and placed it on his front lawn with a sign that read 'FREE BOOKS'. Since that time Little Free Libraries have popped up across the country, providing greater access to books and encouraging citizens to 'take a book, leave a book' when visiting their local Little Free Library.
Every month, books are added to our Little Free Library based on a theme. Take a look at the books that will be available based on our Monthly Theme.
Little Free Library Photo Engagement
We're currently scheduling photo opportunities for campus and community groups! As part of the celebration for our Little Free Library's permanent "planting" at the Ginsberg Center, we're inviting campus and community groups throughout September to be a part of the Little Free Library Photo Engagement! Participants are asked to visit us, bring a book that's important to your group, and either share a photo via social media or schedule a time to have your photo taken by a member of the Ginsberg Center staff.
To reflect the spirit of the Little Free Library movement, we encourage all participants to "take a book, leave a book" while they're visiting us!
To schedule a time for a group photo, or for more information please contact us via email ([email protected]) or phone (734.647.4132).
We invite you to visit our Little Free Library at 1024 Hill Street
Don't forget to post a photo with our #GinsbergLfL #littlefreelibrary and show your support!
The Inspiration (In the words of our artist):
"Books are my obsession and apparently I see them everywhere, because that's the first thing I saw when I saw the Little Free Library structure. It looked like a book that had been held open with its pages ready to spill out. The Little Free Library's door is composed of some of my favorite excerpts from Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Jack London works.I also have a large collection of book pages at home, salvaged from books nearly falling apart. Using these book pages, I brought to life this image I had in my mind: a book held open with characters just falling out and coming to life."
About the Artist: Meg Morrissey
Meg Morrissey is a graduate student at the University of Michigan School of Information studying Preservation of Information. When she isn't focusing on digital preservation, she can be found exploring the food and used book shops of Ann Arbor, making clocks out of records, and taking her cats out for walks. She is thrilled to be the artist behind the Ginsberg Center's Little Free Library!