Are you looking for a new, free read? There may be a resource in your neighborhood that’s closer than you think. Little Free Libraries can be found all around our community and we’re sharing the locations of these little gems.

Backstory: The concept of Little Free Library began in 2009, when Todd H. Bol of Hudson, WI built a small-scale, hollow replica of a schoolhouse, filled it with books and placed it on his front lawn as a tribute to his mother (she was a teacher and loved to read.)

After building one for nearly every jealous neighbor in his Wisconsin community, he teamed up with UW-Madison’s Rick Brooks to turn the concept into a nonprofit organization with a mission to increase book access + forge community connections, now called Little Free Libraries.

There are now 100,000+ Little Free Libraries in 85+ countries worldwide.

These libraries are exactly what they sound like – little book nooks located in people’s yards and at local businesses + parks, full of free books of all genres and for all ages. The libraries function on the honor system: when you take a book, you leave a book.

Some LFLs in Fort Worth + their stories

📚 TCC's Trinity River Campus | 300 Trinity Campus Circle | The two LFLs on TCC’s campus — one in the third floor Rotunda, the second along the second floor Main Street” — exist thanks to Dr. Allan Saxe, adjunct instructor + community philanthropist, who donated to TCC’s Foundation so that the little libraries could be built.

📚 Leaves Book and Tea Shop | 120 St. Louis Avenue | This independent bookstore installed a LFL for those who might not want to buy new at the store but share a love of reading. Pro tip — Make a Leaves shop purchase and after reading, leave it in the LFL for someone else to pick up.

📚 Meadowbrook-Poly United Methodist Church | 3900 Meadowbrook Dr. | The church has worked with a variety of community organizations to promote children's literacy — the LFL was built for children in the neighborhood without many books in their homes.

📚 Stir Crazy Baked Goods | 1251 W. Magnolia Ave. | A collaboration between Stir Crazy Baked Goods, Near Southside, Inc., and Katie & Charlie of Folklore Farms, this LFL is meant to enhance the neighborhood and promote reading in the garden.

All Fort Worth Little Free Libraries

Search the worldwide map to find the closest LFL’s in your neighborhood of Fort Worth — there are 50+ in our area.

Bonus — Make your own

If you want to start your own LFL, you can make one yourself or order a kit online – just make sure to register your location. If you know of an area that is in need of an LFL, but the initial cost of set-up is a barrier, read about the Impact Program Library, which allows underserved communities to have a Little Free Library placed in their neighborhood for free.

Note: If you live in a community with a Homeowner’s Association (HOA), you will likely need to get permission from the HOA.