Duluth Little Free Library Guide

It’s been more than a year since the first post on Perfect Duluth Day about Little Free Libraries, and the trend seems to be growing. So now it’s time to update the list and include some photos to show what’s out there.

Little Free Libraries, of course, are boxes full of books where anyone may stop by and pick some up or drop some off.

(As usual, click on these photos to see them larger.)


997 84th Ave. W. (Morgan Park neighborhood)
Steve & Janelle Schoenbauer, Stewards #2336

Seventh1 Seventh2 Seventh3
16 E. Seventh St. (Central Hillside neighborhood)
Colin Engstrom, Steward #8416


1612 E. Skyline Parkway (East Hillside neighborhood)
John Pastor, Steward #2278


2831 Minnesota Ave. (Park Point neighborhood)
Bruce Lunning


1614 Jefferson St. (Endion neighborhood)
Loaves and Fishes


1712 Jefferson St. (Endion neighborhood)
Dorothy Day House


518 N. 19th Ave. E. (Chester Park neighborhood)
Thomas Dwyer, Steward #7998


2711 E. Fifth St. (Chester Park neighborhood)
Kristine Kolenz


2039 Woodhaven Lane (Hunters Park neighborhood)
Amy Bubacz, Steward #7256


204 Vermilion Road (Hunters Park neighborhood)
William Schuldt, Steward #9119

mankato1 mankato2 mankato3
26 W. Mankato St. (Woodland neighborhood)
Sarah Syria, Steward #6392


3802 Allendale Ave. (Woodland neighborhood)
Jonathan Otis, Steward #404


401 Snively Road (Morley Heights neighborhood)
Will and Sally Munger, Stewards #1093


4005 Dodge St. (Lakeside neighborhood)
Joetta Snow, Steward #328


4302 Gilliant St. (Lakeside neighborhood)
Patricia Jackson, Steward #7553


4305 Luverne St. (Lakeside neighborhood)
Stephen Rice and Elizabeth Rumsey, Stewards #2220


4701 Colorado St. (Lakeside neighborhood)
Christopher Mcintosh


5420 Tioga St. (Lakeside neighborhood)
Noah & Erin Garrison

There might be a few in Duluth we’re missing, so let us know about them in the comments. There are also at least two in Proctor and one in Superior, but we’ll stick with covering Duluth since there are so many.

20 Comments

Claire

about 11 years ago

I wrote an update for the book publishing industry earlier this year on the LFF movement, which is radiating outward from Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

Building Momentum for Little Free Libraries

EmilySue

about 11 years ago

Great one on Colorado Street in Lakeside. No plexiglass front, but well worth a look inside. I have found some excellent titles.

duluthperson

about 11 years ago

The one on Skyline between Chester Parkway and Chester Bowl is convenient for hikers/bikers/walkers visiting the trail system or the bowl.

bluenewt

about 11 years ago

There's one on East First Street a block or two west of Hawthorne.

wskyline

about 10 years ago

Does anyone else notice the trend of the majority of the Little Free Libraries being in East Duluth/more affluent neighborhoods? Not that that's a bad thing, it would just be great to see them spread all throughout town. It'd be great to get more LFLs into areas such as the Central Hillside, Lincoln Park, etc. and to stock them with more kids/teen books to keep everyone interested in reading.

Special K

about 10 years ago

I've got a bunch of leftover cedar shakes, so I was thinking about building one.  That'd put Denfeld on the map at least.

Claire

about 10 years ago

Not too surprising that most of the LFLs are on the eastern side of town. Those things cost $$ if you buy them from LFL and register them and then stock them. But LFL is working with the City of Minneapolis to install LFLs in underserved parts of the city. Maybe wskyline, you can talk to LFL and the City of Duluth and get things going in the western part of the city.

wskyline

about 10 years ago

I hope you do it Special K!

Claire, I looked at how much they are to buy and wow those are expensive! I don't actually live in the West Duluth area any more, but it'd be great to get them out there. I wonder how much it would cost to buy the materials instead of buying the pre-made houses... Maybe I'll have to investigate. 

wskyline

about 10 years ago

I'm also really curious if there are any LFL stewards on PDD that can give an idea of how often it gets used, and any problems or awesome stories they have.

Barrett Chase

about 10 years ago

Yesterday's edition of the Chisholm Free Press ran a front-page story about the one LFL in Chisholm. That paper doesn't have a website, but luckily, the Hibbing Daily Tribune also picked up the story, and also ran it on the front page.

Barrett Chase

about 10 years ago

Wow, I just checked out the website and those things are insanely expensive. The most basic enclosed unit is $175, and does not include plexiglass, knob, decorative add-ons, trim or finish. Plus shipping to Duluth is $43.75, bringing the total up to $218.75 for an unfinished plywood box.

To put this in perspective, a 4'x 8' sheet of plywood at Menards runs about $15-20. An 8' 4x4 (way more than you need) runs around $8. I'm guessing you could build your own for around 1/8 of the price of ordering one.

adamritscher

about 10 years ago

I've got one up in my front yard in the Hammond Park neighborhood of Superior (1506 N. 19th St.)  ~Adam Ritscher

[img]http://www.perfectduluthday.com/wp-content/uploads/comments/DSCF1575.jpg[/img]

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago

Still missing in the post above is the one on First Street. I'll get there eventually.

PJ2013

about 10 years ago

Thanks for including the Gilliat Street Little Free Library. (Not from a kit!)

Marian Peterson

about 10 years ago

Will there be a little library box put in 40th west area?

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago

Marian, it's up to homeowner's to put them up; it's not an organized city project. So the answer is maybe, someday, if someone feels like it.

Barrett Chase

about 10 years ago

Marian, here's one near Cody Street:

59th1 59thAve2 59thAveW3
629 N. 56th Ave. W. (West Duluth neighborhood) Stanley & Linda Panchott

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago

New this summer:

Pershing1 Pershing2 Pershing3
2222 Pershing St. (Piedmont neighborhood) Brian Robert

hbh1

about 9 years ago

There are two more in my neighborhood: One on the corner of Roslyn Ave and Carlyle,  and another a block away from that one on the old library building on Woodland Ave. (The brick building next to the old Snow White.)

Dawn Marie

about 7 years ago

There is one on Pizzaro, corner house of Pizzaro and 61st Ave west.  I don't think it gets much use, the books never change (and a handful of them came from me).  

Thanks for this list, please keep updating it as you discover more. I'm always on the hunt for used books to read and a place to donate the ones I no longer want to keep.

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