BR airport adds three Little Free Libraries with books for all ages

By Maddie Scott
Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, La. — The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport welcomed three Little Free Libraries, a project created and funded by local and global volunteer organizations.

Each little library has three shelves that each can fit about 150 books to be exchanged, said Maribeth Andereck of Bayou Buddies Pet Therapy, a nonprofit organization that brings pet therapy to different areas of the community. Andereck regularly visits the airport with her pups and pitched the idea in late January to create a Little Free Library for the Baton Rouge Metro Airport.

“Usually, you think of little free libraries like in people’s yards or something of that nature,” said Shea Dixon, a member of Bayou Buddies and Andereck’s son.

The Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota, with the mission of building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes. Volunteers like Andereck and Dixon keep the project alive.

The Little Free Library website includes an interactive map with every Little Free Library in the world, including the new addition of the Baton Rouge airport’s little libraries.

Kristin Jewell, Manager of Marketing, Public Relations, and Air Service Development at the airport, said the project with Andereck originally planned to build one library, but it was expanded to include libraries in both pre-security and post-security areas. The airport also wanted the libraries to be accessible, so wheels were added to each little library, allowing them to roll to different areas depending on foot traffic.

“If the ticket counter is where everyone’s at, we can wheel it around just to make sure that it’s always accessible and passengers know that it’s there for them,” Jewell said.

Many of the books were donated or bought from the monthly Recycled Reads Sale on North Boulevard. Each little library includes a mix of children and adult books so that it’s inclusive for all ages.

“And then for the design, we wanted aviation-themed and adventure,” Jewell said. “Just some excitement around the airport and where you can go with all of the books you read and all the opportunities—travel the world in your imagination.”

Two organizations contributed $300 each to the project: the John James Audubon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Ann Fairfax Society of the Children of the American Revolution, Andereck said. The funds are used to buy and stock the shelves.

Volunteers from Bayou Buddies check and restock the shelves weekly. During his visits, Dixon said he has seen kids and adults checking out the selection and grabbing books. He believes the project will be a mainstay for the airport.

“I certainly would encourage anyone out there if they’re going to the BTR airport now, and you got a couple books you’re willing to give away—to go add them to the shelf,” Dixon said.
_________________________________________________________This story was reported and written by a student with the support of the non-profit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations.