My wife and I love books. Books were a big part of our mutual attraction early in our relationship. In early October 2015, we decided to take a few days off and attend the Iowa City Book Festival. It was cold, but it was a joyous trip — our first as a little family since our son was born a couple months earlier in July. The book festival happened to coincide with a food writers conference my wife wanted to attend there, but there was plenty for me and our infant son to enjoy too with all the book-ish fun. I had the huge thrill of meeting Sara Paretsky, and visiting the Szathmary Culinary collection at Iowa State University. And of course, buying lots of books.
But the biggest thrill was meeting Todd Bol and getting to spend a little time with him.
Todd was there to help promote Margaret Aldrich’s new title (at the time) The Little Free Library Book and to help build some Little Free Libraries for local organizations. So, there he was on the plaza running through the historic part of Iowa City on a windy, cold day in October, in his sports coat, knocking together Little Free Libraries … by himself. I don’t know if no one else was supposed to be there, or I just happened to come across in-between shifts of helpers, but there he was. So, I helped. I had my baby with me, (his Mom was in a session), and Todd and I built a couple LFLs while my baby boy napped in his stroller, bundled against the chill. Todd had turned up the little collar on his jacket. It couldn’t have helped much. I remember being cold too. I think we were all caught by surprise by the weather.
I don’t remember exactly what we talked about. I had wanted to build a Little Free Library for a while, but being a new Dad, working full-time, and just about any other convenient excuses, I hadn’t gotten it done. He encouraged me as a new Dad. He encouraged me to build the LFL, I remember and we talked design — I was planning to use a discarded kitchen cabinet as the starting point. I remember he was kind and appreciative, even though he had built an untold number of the little book boxes by then.
I bought one of the books and grabbed all the LFL swag I could in good conscience. I really regret, especially now that he’s gone, I didn’t get a picture of he and I together.
I went home that fall and started my own Little Free Library, with the help of my Dad. It was a fun project and we got it installed and the neighborhood loved it. We’ve since moved houses, moved states, but the Little Free Library was still at that old house, serving the community around it. In fact, it was a feature the buyers loved about our house. Take that, curb appeal! A Little Free Library will help sell your house! It also does a lot of good for you and your neighbors.
So, if you happen to have a yellow and purple Little Free Library, Charter #25387: Todd Bol himself and I built that one. According to the Little Free Library Map, that one is located in Pittsburgh at Falconhurst Park!
Rest in peace, Todd. Thank you.
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About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.