What's New on MinneCulture

The Little Free Library organization began in 2009 when Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin built a miniature model of a one room schoolhouse, filled it with books, and installed it in his front yard, inviting neighbors to take a book or leave a book. The organization became a registered non-profit in 2012, spreading the idea of sharing free books by way of tiny front yard libraries across the country and then globally. Today, the organization is headquartered in Saint Paul, and it estimates that more than 150,000 Little Free Libraries have been installed in about 120 countries world-wide.

Reporter Rob McGinley Myers first noticed the free libraries when he began taking daily walks around his Como Park neighborhood in Saint Paul. He loved looking through the books on offer, but he began to wonder about the people who ran the libraries out of their front yards. So Rob started knocking on doors, asking the little library owners to tell him what inspired them to install their own library and how it had changed their relationship to the neighborhood.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Why do you run a Little Free Library?

Halima Osman lives in Minnesota. She's an educational assistant and founder of Mothers Tutoring Academy. Upon first glance, you wouldn't imagine the lives she lived before her arrival in the United States.

From being one of the only women to graduate in Somalia at the time with degrees in Mathematics & Physics to surviving civil war. Her wisdom breaks through glass and touches hearts. Halima's daughter, Sundus Hassan Nooli, shares this portrait of her mother's life. 

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Listen to your elders: a portrait of Halima Osman

With a population of about 1,300 people, Grand Marais, Minn., located on the North Shore of Lake Superior, changes dramatically when some 10,000 people arrive to join the celebratory atmosphere that is Fisherman’s Picnic.

The annual celebration of local culture (and fish) typically takes place the first weekend in August. One aspect of Fish Pic that many choose to engage in happens under a bingo tent, as KFAI contributor Joe Friedrichs shares in this report.

This story was written and produced by Joe Friedrichs. Erika Janik is the managing editor of MinneCulture. Support for MinneCulture is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Inside the bingo tent at Fisherman's Picnic

Tameka Jones grew up on Aurora St. in the historically Black neighborhood of Rondo in St Paul. 

Since she was a child, she’s felt out of place, and struggled to reconcile the differences between where she lived, where she learned, and why she was treated so differently. 

In those years, what illuminated her path to understanding was her grandmother’s all loving acceptance. And now she honors her grandmother’s memory and teachings through her lipstick business, located right by her childhood home. 

This story was written and produced by Sundus Hassan Nooli. Erika Janik is the managing editor of MinneCulture. Support for MinneCulture is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Listen to your elders: a portrait of Tameka Jones

November 10th marks fifty years since the Edmund Fitzgerald vanished beneath the dark waters of Lake Superior. One of the Great Lakes’ largest freighters, she carried a heavy load of iron ore when a fierce gale struck, overwhelming the vessel and sinking her before any distress signal could be sent. All 29 crew members were lost. The story might have faded from memory were it not for a song by the Canadian folksinger Gordon Lightfoot. His song captured the tragedy in a haunting ballad that kept the memory of the ship and the storm alive. 

This story was written and produced by Alison Young. Erika Janik is the managing editor of MinneCulture on KFAI.


Support for MinneCulture on KFAI is provided by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. For more stories like this check out the MInneculture tab on KFAI.org

Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald 50 Years Later

If you've ever driven on Snelling Aveneue in St. Paul, down by Highland Park High School, you've probably seen the Highland Park Water Tower, even if you didn't know it. Standing at 127 feet tall, it is a beautiful 1928 stone tower located on one of the highest points in St. Paul, making it the perfect place to store water, and see a unique view of the Twin Cities. Though it was decommissioned in 2017, the tower is open to the public twice a year - in July and October - so that everyone can experience the walk up to, and view from, the top of this historic building.

This story was written and produced by Hans Buetow. Erika Janik is the managing editor of Minneculture. Support for MinneCulture is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Climbing to the top of the Highland Water Tower

MinneCulture is KFAI’s award-winning audio storytelling program. We produce audio documentaries exploring Minnesota’s art, culture, and history — stories about musical sensations, small town heroes, cultural icons, local lore, and everything in between.

Why do you run a Little Free Library?

KFAI's MinneCulture