Miami's only free bookstore wants to keep bookstores alive
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Tucked away in the back of Wynwood's Bakehouse Art Complex where you might expect to find another art studio or workspace, there are stacks of used books available to anyone — for free.
Why it matters: As literary culture faces threats from censorship to competition for people's attention, Bookleggers Library, Miami's first and only free bookstore, remains focused on keeping books and bookstores alive.
- "We feel like we're doing important work," Nathaniel Sandler, the nonprofit's founding director, told Axios. "The community needs books, [to] share books [and] be around books."
The intrigue: Sandler thinks Bookleggers is one of the only free bookstores in the country and likely the last traditional used bookstore in Miami: "If there are others, we'd like to find them."
Catch up quick: Bookleggers launched as a popup in 2012 to provide books to underserved communities and residents without access to free or inexpensive books, like homeless shelters and prisons, Sandler said.
- In 2019, it moved into its current space, and a few years later expanded again to ensure the store could continue reaching underserved communities.
- In 2021, it launched Bookbike and its Library Trailer, both of which can serve as a mobile library.
What they're saying: "The reason we don't have bookstores isn't for lack of interest. People are hungry, excited and joyful for books and for reading," the library's development director Sarah Cruz told Axios.
- "That's why this model is so cool. It bucks the system of this profit-based motive that forces you to compete with the big names, like Amazon," she said.
How it works: To ensure books remain free and accessible, the nonprofit fundraises and receives grants from various organizations, including The Al & Jane Nahmad Family Foundation, the Knight Foundation, The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, the Miami Foundation, the Green Family Foundation and the county.
- It accepts used book donations from individuals, the public school system and classroom libraries, often acting as "the last line of defense for books in the city," Sandler said.
Friction point: The library lost $25,000 in state funding when Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million for arts and cultural initiatives from the 2024-25 state budget.
- Sandler said he expects similar cuts in future budgets. "We don't think the money is coming back."
By the numbers: Since its founding, "well over" 125,000 books have "gone out" of the library with a similar number coming in. "And we feel confident we're under-reporting," Sandler said.
- It has accepted more than 1,250 books monthly and welcomed more than 157,000 attendees at various events.
- Most recently, at the Miami Book Fair, the library gave away more than 5,300 books.
What's next: The store isn't accepting books until the new year. But Cruz is developing a new program called Stacks, a tiered program for those who want to support the organization financially.
- To further expand access, they hope to open the library on Saturdays in 2025.