Little Free Library #9136, Alexandria VA

10/07/2026

The American Library Association has released its new list of The 150 Most Challenged Books. Did your favorites make the list?

This year’s Banned Books Week coincides with ALA’s official 150th anniversary. To mark the occasion, ALA has released a list of the 150 most challenged books documented from 1990, when ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom began tracking book challenges, through 2025.

The full list of the 150 most challenged books - those that have been targeted for restriction or removal in libraries and schools - spans contemporary titles such as "Gender Q***r: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe and literary classics such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.

“Every book on this list is a reminder that readers have the right to explore ideas and decide for themselves what to read,” said ALA President Maria McCauley. “For 150 years, ALA has worked alongside library workers to keep that choice open to everyone. We ask for support for our libraries so the next generation has that same freedom.”

See the full list at ala150.org/150books.

10/07/2026

The next book we're spotlighting for Banned Books Week is The Girl With the Louding Voice, by Nigerian author Abi Daré. While the book has been praised for its powerful exploration of female empowerment, resilience, and the right to an education, it has also been banned or challenged in various jurisdictions in the U.S. and U.K. for its realistic treatment of child marriage, sexual trauma, and domestic abuse. We have a copy in LFL #9136. Stop by and take it, or select a different one.

10/06/2026

Looking for a book to read in honor of Banned Books Week? LFL #9136 currently has a copy of Feed, by M.T. Anderson. Despite being a National Book Award finalist, this young-adult novel has been challenged or banned in various places for profanity, mild sexual content, and dystopian themes, leading the American Library Association to name it among the Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of the 2010–2019 decade. Come on over to pick up Feed or any other book in the LFL.

10/05/2026

Read a banned book in honor of Banned Books week! Need a recommendation? Right now in LFL #9136 is a paperback copy of Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya. This novel has been banned or challenged in school systems in many parts of the U.S. because of profanity, sexual content, and allegations of paganism (a character is a folk healer). A county school board in New Mexico actually burned copies of it.

10/05/2026

It's Banned Books Week! One of the books currently in LFL #9136 is Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell. Fangirl has been banned or challenged in several Florida school districts for including LGBTQ+ content. Come by the Little Free Library and pick up Fangirl or any other book that catches your eye.

09/26/2026

Since Monday, I've been at a conference hotel in Ellicott City, Maryland. Only today did I notice this book giveaway cabinet in the lobby. I wish I had a book with me to leave there.

09/16/2026

Ciao! I haven't posted about LFL 9136 in weeks because I'm still overseas. I hope my family has been taking good care of the book box while I'm gone. I'll be home in a few days. In the meantime, if you see the books in disarray, please feel free to straighten them! The photo shows the one book I have in Italian that I can actually read. The others I've bought here (out of wishful thinking) must wait until my language skills improve beyond the preschool level.

08/24/2026

The city's Big Free Library system accepted a book that was returned this week -- only 43 years overdue! It'a a good thing the library no longer charges overdue fees!

Here at Little Free Library #9136, we don't charge overdue fees either. And you can take a book and keep it as long as you want, even if that's for 43 years. Keep on reading!

08/14/2026

We need one of these in Alexandria!

Fullerton Public Library installed a $35,000 book vending machine near the transit center, the hope is commuters will read during their journeys.

Fullerton Public Library's book vending machine has a 500-book capacity. It offers older paperback bestsellers and current hardcover bestsellers selections and will be restocked as needed. About a third to one-half of the device's inventory are donated. Only visible books will be available for checkout.

A library patron will need a valid FPL (Fullerton Public Library) card to access books at any time. The machine is fully integrated with the Main Library's checkout system. To begin, scan the library card at Step 1, enter the book number at Step 2, retrieve your receipt at Step 3 and then collect your book. (Books cannot be checked out if there are overdue fees.)