A student-designed Little Free Library, inspired by Anne Frank’s life and legacy, found a permanent home in the Janice and Bruce Ellig Children’s Library at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Anne Frank Initiative (AFI), Iowa Youth Writing Project, and Clear Creek Amana Middle School.
The event featured a live, hospital-wide reading led by Kirsten Kumpf Baele, University of Iowa (UI) associate professor of distinction, German, and director of the Anne Frank Initiative, and Mallory Hellman, director of the Iowa Youth Writing Project.
“The goal of this event is to underscore your voices, because they do matter,” Kumpf Baele said during the live broadcast. “Anne Frank never imagined her diary would be read by millions. She wrote simply to express herself in a time when she was cut off from the world. That’s the quiet power of her voice, and it’s a reminder that even when access to the outside is limited, your thoughts still matter.”
“We are here today because we want to listen,” she added. “We want to get to know you.”
The children’s library offers books by and for young people, promoting hope, resilience, and the power of youth voices. In addition to the reading, the Iowa Youth Writing Project created writing kits and prompts for patients to use, continuing Anne Frank’s legacy of expression through writing.
"This library was built by kids, Iowan kids. Kids who believe that writing and reading can change the world."
“This was the culmination of so much joy, planning, and hope,” said Hellman. “It felt surreal to be sitting in front of the camera and reading to the kids from the books they now have access to. A lot of my work involves being behind a desk … Any chance I get to actually engage with kids and see the work in practice, just roots my whole being in a sense of purpose.”
The Little Free Library was originally conceptualized by Clear Creek Amana eighth graders following a field trip to the University of Iowa in 2023. Two years later, one of those students, Keira Rosenberg, joined her former teacher, Adam Cole, to discuss the inspiration behind the project.
“We used pieces of Anne’s story to design the library,” Rosenberg shared. “On one side, we see a white bird, which represents her peace—and with the bird, her diary. We also see the tree from outside Anne’s window spiraling out throughout the library, and the shoes she wore throughout her time in hiding are painted on the step.”
Cole, who guided students through the project, said it has proved to be a powerful teaching tool for students.
“As someone who was their age—and whose work is recognized around the world—[Anne Frank] has the ability to impact kids for generations to come,” Cole said. “And for our students to see that something they do at their age can have an impact gives them an idea that what they do matters.”
He added that the project reinforces Anne Frank as a symbol of influence—and how people can create meaningful change at a young age.
“Whether you intend it or not, you help shape the world through the actions you take and the things you do.”
Erin Landsee, child life assistant at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, said the new addition to the children’s library can be a meaningful source of comfort and inspiration for patients.
“I think, for our kids who are in the hospital, your mind and your writing and your reading are often things that you still have control over in the middle of a really hard situation,” Landsee said. “This is a real gift and a reminder of that.”
The Anne Frank Initiative at Iowa is one of several affinity groups supported by International Programs, aiming to bring global history and contemporary civic engagement into the local community. Through partnerships like this one, the AFI continues to emphasize the enduring power of storytelling, youth voices, and education.
“Even if you’re a child or a teen, you can create impact,” Kumpf Baele said. “We want to hear your stories. Read, write, draw, sing … express yourselves just like Anne did.”
To be written on the library: This library was built by kids, Iowan kids. Kids who believe that writing and reading can change the world. In May 2024, the Anne Frank Initiative and the Iowa Youth Writing Project invited a group of students from Clear Creek Amana Middle School who had read Anne Frank’s Diary to create a design for a library where books written by and for young people could be accessible to anyone who wanted them.
The result is this: a little free library designed, built, and painted by kids. Full of books meant to inspire, because Anne Frank didn’t have the freedom to read whatever she wanted or share her writing with others. We honor her life and her story by connecting young people with books to free their minds and spirits.
International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.