Manitobans with Heart: Free Little Lending Libraries

With a population of roughly 750,000 and 340 free little lending libraries, Winnipeg has one of the highest per capita numbers of privately sponsored little lending libraries (1 for every 2200 people). While Minneapolis and Seattle have much more, both cities are more Canadian than American, anyway! It’s another example of Manitobans with Heart.

These libraries may seem obsolete, given the dominance of online books. However, they fulfill a definite need. This need is much more than the stereotypical old person who prefers real, paper books to online reading. There are many people without ready access to local libraries or Internet. The book diversity allows a wide range of interests to flourish. Many people will pick up an old book in a genre they might otherwise have overlooked.

More to Free Littyle Lending Libraries Than Books

But there is another dimension to these little kiosks. Little lending libraries show that we, as individual citizens, care about others. We reach out, through our lending libraries, to passersby and neighbours. A little of our personal reading preferences gets exposed to others. We show we will take the time to think of our community.

What are little free lending libraries? They can be simple boxes, complex and ornate designed containers, or any method to hold a collection of books protected against the elements. People borrow a book or add a book or two to the collection for others to read. Some box sponsors report being overwhelmed by the number of donated books. Again, a testament to Manitobans with Heart. These free little lending libraries definitely work!

While they exist around the world, here in Manitoba, we excel at caring for our community. A dedicated local even gathers all the locations they can find and catalogues them for us. That means that many free little lending libraries see visitors from all over the city and province. Truly, it is a great way to reach out and explore the world around us.