Community helps Isabelle Aho, family fulfill vision

By Matthew Johnson

Reporter

Years ago Isabelle Aho, 2025 Menahga High School (MHS) graduate and daughter of Rodney and Hannah Aho of Wolf Lake, envisioned a Little Free Library (LFL) being installed in Wolf Lake.

The vision was brought to fruition on Monday, Aug. 3 as the support of family and members of the Wolf Lake community helped make it a reality. That’s when the Wolf Lake LFL was installed across from the Wolf Lake Community Hall on the east side of County Road 38 (Manninen Avenue). And now the fully operational LFL is part of the growing, worldwide LFL network that started when the first LFL was installed in Hudson, Wisc., in 2009.

“Setting up a Little Free Library in Wolf Lake has been something I have wanted to do for years!” Isabelle said. “I would like to express a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped in making this dream of mine come true: I couldn’t have done it alone!” 

Area book lovers and anyone passing through Wolf Lake can now check out “Take a book. Share a book.” That’s the LFL honor system of a free-standing box filled with books for anyone to take, borrow and return at their leisure. 

The vision turned into an action project last year when Isabelle asked her friend, Katie Lake, who serves on the Wolf Lake City Council, to seek the city’s blessing to install an LFL there. Lake brought the item to the table in October 2025 and the council signaled its support.

Following the authorization from the city, the project gained more traction with the support of community, family and friends. Group partnerships have also played a role in the project including with the Wolf Lake Community Club and others.

Isabelle said she has received much positive feedback on the project with members of the community sharing their excitement about having a LFL in town. Rosa Skoog and Olivia Aho presented the LFL proposal to the Wolf Pack Baseball Club, which generously decided to fund the entire $457 cost of the project including shipping costs and tax.

Isabelle and others agree that there were a number of reasons to install an LFL in Wolf Lake. Just a few of those reasons include making books easily available for self-serve access, an economical way to support reading education for youth and all individuals in the community and providing yet another asset that not only benefits the community but others visiting including tourists who come to the Wolf Lake Waterfront Park & Campground.

“My vision behind the Little Free Library in Wolf Lake is to encourage an excitement for reading through providing access to good quality books for those of all ages, and it also serves as a way to share my faith and spread the gospel by having Bibles and children’s Bible story books available for others to read and treasure!” said Isabelle.

Several friends and family members offered helpful input on the placement of the Little Free Library, she said. 

“The exact location was chosen largely due to its easy access and visibility from the road.”

The actual structure of this LFL was purchased off the LFL website littlefreelibrary.org. The specific type, a composite double door in cottage light blue, was selected based upon its durable, low-maintenance material and its eye-catching appearance. It was assembled with plastic lumber made out of recycled milk jugs and fitted with metal handles and hinges.

Those who helped Isabelle install Wolf Lake’s LFL on Monday, Aug. 3 included her father Rodney, sisters Olivia, Claudia and Holly; and her cousin Summer. Her uncles Jason and Luke Aho lent the tools that aided in building the wooden post and installing the library. The post and installation materials were purchased separately and Isabelle’s father, Rodney, constructed the post.

“From digging the hole, setting and leveling the post, pouring concrete, and attaching the Little Free Library, to filling the library with books, the entire installation took around an hour and a half,” said Isabelle.

The LFL website states that there are more than 200,000 registered, volunteer-led LFLs worldwide including in all 50 states, 128 countries and all seven continents. That includes over 400 million books that have been shared by thousands of neighbors.

Aho graduated with an associate’s degree from M-State Wadena when she graduated from MHS in the spring of 2025. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU).

“Lord willing, I will graduate Spring 2028.”