Little Free Library in Grove Park

By Katie Weiblen
Originally published in the March 2016 issue of 1666 Coffman Newsletter

You may have noticed the Little Free Library at the entrance to Grove Park. This colorful addition to the park came by a very indirect route. A number of years ago, as a retired librarian from the Minneapolis Public Library, I attended a luncheon meeting of the Metropolitan Library Service Association. There was a drawing for one of the early versions of the Little Free Libraries. Much to my surprise, I held the winning ticket! I had a choice of designs and chose what I thought was the most beautiful and elaborate.

Fearing that my Little Free Library would not survive the weekend student revelry and accompanying vandalism in our Minneapolis U of M neighborhood, I gave it to my grandchildren in University Grove. After some consideration, the family decided that rather than setting it out at their home, it would be of greater service to the community if it were placed in a more public area. A letter of request was sent to the Falcon Heights Parks and Gardens Committee. The committee suggested that the Little Free Library be placed in the community park on Roselawn Avenue. This led to the circulation of a petition for permission to place it in Grove Park, where it would serve visitors to the park.

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