Master Sgt. Frank Chappell believes that while a book tells a story, a library builds a community.
As the religious affairs superintendent for the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Chappell’s mission is often centered on the spiritual and emotional well-being of his fellow Airmen. Recently, he looked to bolster that mission through a simple, classic medium: a Little Free Library now located in the wing’s Resiliency Center. Little Free Library is a nonprofit free book exchange program with more than 200,000 registered libraries in 128 countries worldwide.
The project began in August, when Chappell reached out to Operation Paperback, a nonprofit organization that collects and ships books to American troops and veterans worldwide. What started as a simple request for a few donations quickly grew. The organization responded in September by sending more than 30 boxes filled with a diverse range of genres.
To get the project off the ground, Chappell registered the location with the official Little Free Library service and provided the physical housing for the collection. He spent the following weeks organizing the space, ensuring it was fully prepared and stocked in time for the October regularly scheduled drill weekend.
“I took it upon myself because I have a passion for reading,” said Chappell. “I love books of all genres, and I wanted to share that with the 171st.”
The library is more than a hobby project. In a high-tempo military environment, the Resiliency Center serves as a sanctuary, and Chappell saw the library as a natural extension of that space. He hoped the collection would provide Airmen with a boost of morale and a change of pace from their everyday life.
“One of the purposes of this little library is to increase connection, community and optimism, and therefore resilience among our members,” Chappell explained.
However, the library faced an unexpected hurdle: many visitors were hesitant to take a book, worried they might be taking the only copy or an opportunity away from someone else. To counter this, he has worked to spread the word that the library is a living, breathing ecosystem. There are plenty of copies to go around, and new books are constantly arriving.
For Chappell, the library is a lasting thank-you to the community at the 171st. It is a permanent fixture designed to keep Airmen connected through shared stories.
“I’ve valued my time here so much,” Chappell shared. “I wanted to leave something behind that continues to build that sense of optimism and community even when I’m gone.”