KRISTINE HUMPHRIES RECEIVES LITTLE FREE LIBRARY’S AWARD
FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
The California resident has established dozens of little libraries in the Ojai Valley
Hudson, WI (May 18, 2020) – The Little Free Library (LFL) nonprofit organization is pleased to present Kristine Humphries with the 2020 Todd H. Bol Award for Outstanding Achievement. This award honors extraordinary individuals who embody LFL’s mission to inspire a love of reading and build community.
“It is a privilege to recognize Kristine Humphries as one of this year’s winners of the Todd H. Bol Award for Outstanding Achievement,” said LFL Executive Director Greig Metzger. “Her volunteer efforts exemplify the vision of the late founder of Little Free Library, Todd Bol, to engage communities and enrich lives through the power of shared books. Through her effort, Kristine has made her community a better place to be.”
Kristine Humphries of Ojai, California, has helped establish dozens of little libraries around the Ojai Valley, thanks to a grant from the Ojai Women’s Fund. Kristine worked in collaboration with the public library’s Ojai Valley Library Friends & Foundation and partnered with the school district, houses of worship, business owners and service organizations like the Humane Society to help the libraries thrive.
Humphries said the little libraries have greatly expanded book access in her community: “Many of our residents have limitations and unmet needs that affect their ability and willingness to use a traditional library system; this can include immigration status and language challenges, disabilities, and erratic employment hours. The Little Free Libraries are all open 24/7, 365.”
The project has also been rewarding on a personal level, Humphries said. “I’ve met more of my neighbors and community members since installing the Little Free Libraries than in the prior decade, and the gratitude and enthusiasm is overwhelming.”
The Todd H. Bol Awards for Outstanding Achievement are named for LFL’s founder, Todd Bol, who created the first Little Free Library book-sharing box in 2009 in Hudson, Wisconsin, and passed away unexpectedly in 2018. This is the second year the awards have been presented.
Read more about this year’s winners and see their photos at LittleFreeLibrary.org/todd-bol-awards.
About Little Free Library: Little Free Library® (LFL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and improves book access by fostering neighborhood book-exchange boxes around the world. LFL received the 2020 World Literacy Award and has been recognized by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation and others for its dedication to expanding book access for all. There are more than 100,000 registered Little Free Library book-sharing boxes worldwide in all 50 states and in 109 countries; through them more than 165 million books have been shared. To learn more, visit LittleFreeLibrary.org.