1000 Little Free Libraries Donate to Texas Communities

AUSTIN, Texas, March 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ Book lovers gathered in Austin, Texas to announce the donation of 1000 Little Free Libraries for the Lone Star State by Robert J. Hoffman, a real estate developer who grew up in El Paso.

Mr. Hoffman says, "I have seen Little Free Libraries bring people together and spark interest in books, which is the first step to the essential skill of reading."

With approximately 600 of the book exchanges registered in Texas currently, the donation of 1000 new Little Free Libraries more than doubles the nonprofit organization's reach and impact in Texas.

"They say everything is bigger in Texas, and Bob's gift is no exception," says Little Free Library Founder, Todd H. Bol. "It represents a huge contribution to our organization as we grow a global movement around the love of books and community building."

Mr. Hoffman wants to inspire others with his gift. "One thousand libraries is only the first step to getting 10,000 of these across Texas," notes Mr. Hoffman. "Little Free Library effectively promotes literacy, and I hope others join me in supporting them."

Little Free Library is consulting with the Texas Center for the Book regarding distribution and placement of the Libraries in rural communities throughout the state.

Rebekah Manley, Director of the Texas Center for the Book says, "These Little Free Libraries create big bridges into public libraries. Texas Center for the Book is proud to partner with an initiative that utilizes willing hands to grow the hearts and minds of life-long readers."

The initiative in Texas is part of a larger goal for Little Free Library to place 100,000 of its book exchanges worldwide.

"We want to establish Little Free Libraries and Literacy-Friendly Neighborhoods in communities around the globe, and this gift moves us toward that," said Mr. Bol.

Find more information about the 1000 Little Free Libraries for Texas here: LittleFreeLibrary.org/texas/.

TEXAS CENTER FOR THE BOOK: Affiliated with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, the Texas Center for the Book is a nonprofit organization under the direction of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Its mission is to promote a love of literature throughout the Lone Star State. For more information: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/centerforthebook.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY: Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that connects neighborhoods around the love of reading through free book exchanges. In 2015, Little Free Library's work was recognized by the Library of Congress for Best Practices in Literacy. Currently, the organization is working to increase the number of Little Free Libraries in the United States and around the globe with an initiative to have 100,000 registered book exchanges in place by the end of 2017. For more information: www.littlefreelibrary.org.

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SOURCE Little Free Library