Little Free Library, the nonprofit organization behind the world’s largest book-sharing movement, now calls St. Paul, Minnesota, home! LFL secured office space in the Wycliff Building in the Midway neighborhood’s Creative Enterprise Zone. This fall we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with members of the Midway Chamber of Commerce, local Little Free Library volunteer stewards, and LFL staff in attendance—and we gave away free books, of course.
“We are excited to join the vibrant St. Paul community,” said LFL Executive Director Greig Metzger. “St. Paul is recognized as one of the more ‘literate’ cities in the U.S. so our presence is a natural fit. St. Paul also has a robust nonprofit sector, and we look forward to partnering with and learning from our new neighbors as we expand book access here in town and around the world.”
LFL has early roots in the Twin Cities: In 2010 Minneapolis was a testing ground for the Little Free Library concept, and in 2020, Minneapolis was the first city to adopt LFL’s Read in Color program, a national initiative sharing tens of thousands of diverse books through the Little Free Library network.
The move to the Wycliff comes just in time for the holiday giving season. Twin Cities Business features LFL in their 2022 Giving Guide, and this is the first year LFL will participate in Give to the Max Day as a Minnesota nonprofit. (Give to the Max Day is on November 17, with giving beginning November 1.)
While at one time the Wycliff Building was a nut-packing plant, it is now a hub of innovative and creative small businesses, such as LFL, Deane’s Kombucha, and UNRL clothing. The building’s exterior features a striking mural by artist Rock “Cyfi” Martinez representing the tenants—including Little Free Library—and offering the message “All Are Welcome.”