Little Free *Banned Books* Library project: West Orange, New Jersey

A collection of children's books displayed on a table, featuring diverse topics related to identity, skin, pride, and personal stories.
A collection of children’s books displayed on a table, featuring diverse topics related to identity, skin, pride, and personal stories.

We are eager and excited to launch our Little Free *Banned Books* Library here in West Orange. This library is truly a reflection of the community, from the intergenerational collaboration involved in building the library, to the books that will fill its shelves. We worked with two local woodworkers – one in his 20’s and one in her 70’s – to build the library, using the plans from Little Free Library’s website. We aimed for our Little Free Library to be a service to our community, and an effort to stand against national book bans which seek to erase historically underrepresented voices and stories. In our collection of books (see photo attached) and in our Little Free *Banned Books* Library, we believe we are doing that.

A small green cabinet on a cardboard sheet placed on grass near a brick wall with a window and electrical box. Wooden beam in the foreground.
A small green cabinet on a cardboard sheet placed on grass near a brick wall with a window and electrical box. Wooden beam in the foreground.

As with many projects, we began our work with a vision, and throughout the process of realizing that vision we needed to be flexible and willing to adjust. While our ultimate goals are being met, our location and timeline needed to shift as we encountered logistical challenges around placement. Initially, we hoped for our library to be located on the “Main Street Corridor” of our township, but after being unable to locate a private home that could host the library along that corridor, we modified our plans. Our library will be installed along a fairly busy road in a different section of town, which is also active with pedestrians. Additionally, while we intended for our library to be built by one local young woodmaker, we did need to make some safety and security upgrades to our library so that it would be better suited for children’s hands and the weather. The time to make such modifications has pushed our installation back a bit. Still, we anticipate having our library installed in time for Banned Books Week and are looking forward to sharing final updates with you as soon as we launch!

Installing and hosting a Little Free *Banned Books* Library aligns well within DEY’s principal goals. Hosting a space where children and families will have greater and free access to a wide range of books supports literacy development and in this current social and political climate, offering free banned books is a form of political and educational advocacy. Further, educational research affirms the significance of stories that feature a variety of voices, perspectives and identities in the academic, social and emotional development and learning of children.

A collection of books, including "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Witches," and several "Goosebumps" titles, are arranged on a surface.
A collection of books, including “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Witches,” and several “Goosebumps” titles, are arranged on a surface.

At present, our library is not yet installed and so it is difficult to gauge our impact. As we sought out donations and shared our Little Free *Banned Books* Library plans with our community, we were met with eager support and affirmation. We anticipate this library becoming an important and impactful part of our community. We did experience some hurdles as well, primarily with the building of our library. While we are in the midst of overcoming those challenges, they have set us back in our timeline, and we have decided to pivot and have our launch date coincide with Banned Books Weeks. We chose to invest in a young and local woodworker for the building of our library, and believe it was the right decision for our project. Investing in young people is aligned with the mission of DEY as well as our own commitment to partnering with youth and amplifying their efforts as we strive for meaningful change. When we discovered that modifications to the library would be needed, we reached out to a more experienced local woodworker who lives in the neighborhood where the little library will be located, and we are grateful that this has yielded an additional partner for this project, ultimately strengthening our efforts through intergenerational collaboration.

We are so grateful for the support of DEY to fund the building of our library. We used the entirety of our grant to cover the costs of supplies and labor plus installation of the library. With the support of our community, we have gathered around twenty different titles to put in our library to start.

***Update*** Our library was completed and installed!! Here are some pics and also sharing the link to the little free library map where ours is listed :)

Sign for "St. Cloud Little Free Library of Banned Books" next to a shelf of diverse books, promoting freedom to read and reflect on historically banned literature.
Sign for “St. Cloud Little Free Library of Banned Books” next to a shelf of diverse books, promoting freedom to read and reflect on historically banned literatur
A small yellow outdoor library labeled "St. Cloud Little Free Library of Banned Books" is displayed on a digital map with various location markers.
A small yellow outdoor library labeled “St. Cloud Little Free Library of Banned Books” is displayed on a digital map with various location markers.
A small wooden shelf filled with various books, including children's books, novels, and history titles. Two round badges and a heart-shaped button are placed on the bottom shelf.
A small wooden shelf filled with various books, including children’s books, novels, and history titles. Two round badges and a heart-shaped button are placed on the bottom shelf.
A small, yellow Little Free Library with a glass front, filled with various books. It's set outdoors in a grassy area.
A small, yellow Little Free Library with a glass front, filled with various books. It’s set outdoors in a grassy area.