FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 10, 2025
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sam Shaw
402-471-3216
800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Awards Little Free Library Grants to 23 Communities Across the State
LINCOLN, NE —
The Nebraska Library Commission is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Little Free Library (LFL) Mini-Grant Program, designed to expand access to books and promote early literacy in Nebraska’s unserved and underserved communities. The Nebraska Library Commission has collaborated with the Little Free Library Organization to provide these grants.This year, 23 communities across the state will receive funding to either install a new Little Free Library or restock existing ones with high-quality children’s books. Grants of $500 were awarded to sites to establish a new LFL and purchase books, while grants of $250 were awarded to existing LFL locations to enhance their collections.
“On average, kids with access to Little Free Libraries read 1.1 more days per week compared to communities that do not provide LFLs,” said Sam Shaw, Data Coordinator at the Nebraska Library Commission. “We’re thrilled to support these communities in building and sustaining access to reading materials, especially for young learners.”
2025 Grant Recipients Include:
| $250 Book Grants (Existing LFLs) | $500 Grants (New LFLs + Books) |
| Village of Cairo | Stamford Village |
| Long Pine Village | Hoskins Village |
| Waverly Community Center | Fordyce Village |
| Unadilla Public Library | Alda Village |
| North Bend Public Library | Chambers Village |
| Madison Public Library | Edgar Village |
| LaVista Public Library | Homer Village |
| Lawrence Village | |
| Gresham Public Library | |
| Big Springs Public Library | |
| Faith Memorial Library | |
| Cedar Rapids Public Library | |
| Indianola Public Library | |
| Minatare Public Library | |
| Rushville Public Library | |
| Valentine Public Library |
The Little Free Library Mini-Grant Program is sponsored in part by the Nebraska Library Commission and supported by the Little Free Library Organization. Each grant recipient will receive promotional materials to help celebrate and publicize their new or enhanced community reading hub.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.ailable on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
On behalf of the Faith Memorial Library in Wallace, I’d like to thank you for providing this opportunity to install a Free Little Library in our community. We know our community has many avid readers and will expect the Free Little Library to be very well received. We are also pleased to anticipate many great kids’ books for our youth. With our all-volunteer library, we do have limited hours of operation but now there will be 24-7 opportunities to grab a new read.