On April 8, FSU Libraries unveiled its newest campus feature: a Little Free Library. Essentially a regular library, just without the due dates, librarians, or fines, and perhaps a couple of square feet smaller (okay, a lot smaller), now stationed near the Askew Student Life Center (ASLC), for all your reading needs.
making reading cool again
FSU’s goal? To make reading super accessible for every Nole. Whether you’re hustling between classes or have a random gap in your schedule, swing by the ASLC and check out the garnet-colored Little Library. It’s always stocked with books just waiting for you to snag. Maybe you can even leave one behind for someone else!
Let’s be real, college has a way of making reading feel like a chore, something you only do because it’s assigned, because the syllabus says so. The Little Free Library is FSU’s way of flipping that script.
It’s a low-stakes, no-pressure (not to mention, adorable) way to pick up something you actually want to read. Maybe it’s a genre you’ve been curious about, a book a friend won’t stop recommending, or just something to read that’s not your textbook or Instagram captions.
Where it started
If you’re wondering where this genius idea came from, Little Free Libraries started back in 2009, thanks to a man named Todd Bol, who built a tiny, schoolhouse-shaped book box in his front yard in Hudson, Wisconsin, as a tribute to his late mother, who loved both reading and teaching.
The idea took off — neighbors loved it, and soon, these little libraries began popping up everywhere. Now, there are over 200,000 Little Free Libraries in 128 countries!
“Take one, leave one”
Let’s talk about the heart and soul of the Little Free Library, the “take one, leave one” rule. It’s as simple as it sounds: if you spot a novel you’ve been dying to read, a poetry collection that catches your eye, or even a quirky memoir that’s calling your name, go ahead and take it — no questions asked. The only thing this library asks is that you pay it forward when you can.
Maybe you’ve got a stack of books in your dorm that you’ve already devoured, or there’s that one required text from last semester you know you’ll never open again. Instead of tossing them or letting them gather dust, bring them to the Little Free Library and let them find a new home.
This exchange helps ensure that the shelves are kept stocked and vibrant, so there’s always something new for anyone who stops by. If you don’t have a book to donate right away, take what you need and bring something to share when you can, or return the book when you finish it.
Plus, there’s something sentimental about the idea of sharing. When you pass along a book you loved, you trust it’ll find the person who needs it next. There has probably been someone who’ll laugh at the same jokes you did, cry at the same chapters, and maybe even scribble their own thoughts in the margins. It’s a quiet way to connect with other Noles, even if you never meet them face-to-face.
Next time you’re passing through the ASLC, go check out the Little Library and see what’s waiting. Who knows? You might just find your new favorite book!
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