Little Free Libraries

Little Free Libraries are “take a book, return a book” free book exchanges popularized by the nonprofit organization Little Free Library. They typically take the form of a small wooden box of books mounted on a post in front of a home or business where passersby can easily access the books. The vast majority are maintained by sponsoring community members sometimes referred to as “stewards.”

Studies have consistently shown that young children who have access to books in the home achieve markedly higher literacy levels later in life. According to the Children’s Literacy Foundation, 61 percent of low income families do not have age-appropriate books in their homes. Increasing access to books and encouraging a lifelong love of reading, especially among children, are core values of Menlo Park's library and our nonprofit partners.

 

Little (Diverse) Free Libraries

Many of Menlo Park’s Little Free Libraries have transformed into Little (Diverse) Free Libraries featuring stories and narratives representing a diversity of backgrounds, identities and life experience. The Little (Diverse) Free Libraries collections highlight narratives of Black and Indigenous People of Color, classic and modern stories featuring a range of ethnicities, religious and cultural traditions, gender and sexual identities and physical and mental abilities, as well as memoirs and antiracist non-fiction.

The Little (Diverse) Free Library project is sponsored by Menlo Park Library Foundation in partnership with Friends of Menlo Park Library. 


Little Free Library incentive program (2022)

The Menlo Park Little Free Library Incentive Program was designed to encourage Menlo Park residents to install and maintain Little Free Libraries on their properties by providing financial incentives (mini-grants) that covered 100 percent of the upfront purchase and installation costs at no charge to the property owner. In exchange, participating property owners were required to sign a written pledge to keep the Little Free Library on their property, curate its book collection and keep the Little Free Library in good condition. The 2019 Pilot Program successfully installed 27 new Little Free Libraries in Menlo Park neighborhoods. A further 14 were installed in 2022. Applications are currently closed.

Eligibility requirements

  • Applications are open to City of Menlo Park residents only.
  • Application must be signed by the property owner.
  • Property owner must be willing to enter legally binding agreement with the City of Menlo Park in which the property owner accepts responsibility for all maintenance, repair and curation of the Little Free Library after it is installed, and indemnifies and holds harmless the City of Menlo Park in the event of any damage, loss, or injury related to the Little Free Library.
  • Property owner must agree to allow a placard acknowledging program sponsors Menlo Park Library Foundation and City of Menlo Park to be permanently displayed on the Little Free Library. 

Contact us

Nick Szegda
Assistant Library and Community Services Director
Email

650-330-2506

 

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