What started as free classes on a street corner became a lifeline for hundreds. Meet the woman behind Bumble Bee Free Library.
Some stories start with grand plans. This one starts with a box of children’s books, an easel on the side of the road, and a simple idea: what if everyone had access to books?
That’s how Thailand’s Bumble Bee Free Library came to be. Elizabeth Lu, one woman with one dream, took a chance and changed her community.
A Childhood Without Books
Before she ever built a library, Elizabeth Lu knew what it meant to grow up without one.
As a child in Taiwan, books weren’t easy to come by. Her family couldn’t afford to buy books for a home library, and public libraries simply weren’t part of everyday life. The idea of borrowing books for free? That came later, and it changed everything.
When she eventually moved to the United States, she discovered public libraries and was amazed. Shelves of books, open to anyone, free to take home. It wasn’t just convenient… it was transformative.
Spotting a Gap and Deciding to Fill It
Years later, after moving to Bangkok in 1990, Elizabeth noticed something familiar. Despite being in a bustling city, access to free books was still limited, especially for children from lower-income families.
When she asked locals how they got books, the answer was simple: they bought them. Which meant, of course, that not everyone could.
For a long time, that observation sat quietly in the background of her life. She raised a family, volunteered, and got on with everyday responsibilities. But when her children grew up and left home, that old idea came back, and this time, she acted on it.
A Sign on the Street
In 2013, Liz took the first step. She took a box of her children’s old books, set up an easel outside and wrote: “Free English Class.”
There was no big launch, no funding campaign, no advertisement, just a casual handwritten sign and a determination to make a difference.
At the first session, only three children turned up. But in the next few weeks, that number grew to 30 or 40 kids gathering every Sunday to learn.
Build A Community Around Books
What’s especially lovely about the Bumble Bee Free Library is that it was a true community project. Sure, Liz Lu started it, but from the very first day, her neighbors got involved too.
Her neighbors offered space, from their gardens to their homes. Parents of the students bought snacks and drinks. Others pooled money together to buy fans and whiteboards, all to make the lessons more comfortable in Bangkok’s heat.
From a Box of Books to a Real Library
Eventually, the project needed a proper home. Elizabeth rented a small shophouse and officially named it the Bumble Bee Free Library, a name chosen with help from the children themselves. One student even designed the bee logo.
And just like that, something that started on the street became a real place. But it didn’t stop there.
As demand grew, the library expanded again, this time into a two-story house, multiplying its space and allowing for even more programs and resources.
More Than “Just” A Library
Calling it a “library” almost feels too small.
Bumble Bee Free Library has books, of course. But there’s so much more. There are free English classes (both group and one-on-one), helping children build skills that can open doors later in life. There’s Story Time for younger kids, complete with songs and crafts, sometimes even in multiple languages.
There are workshops, field trips, and even a “Harry Potter room,” a cozy reading nook tucked under the stairs that makes reading feel like an adventure.
And then there are the little touches that say everything: birthday book clubs, computer corners, and language exchange meetups.
Reaching Beyond Library Walls
What’s especially powerful is how the project extends beyond its main location.
Elizabeth didn’t stop at building one space. She looked for other places where books were needed.
In 2017, she opened a reading corner in a local homeless shelter, providing books and newspapers for over 400 residents.
She even made sure the collection reflected the community, sourcing books in multiple languages, including Khmer, for Cambodian families living there.
A Library That Changes Lives
The real impact of the Bumble Bee Free Library isn’t measured in books on shelves. It’s measured in people.
Kids who learn English and dream of studying abroad. Families who find a safe, welcoming place to gather. Volunteers who connect across cultures.
One student, for example, received scholarships through the library and hopes to become an exchange student, a goal made possible in part by the skills she gained there.
The Woman Behind It All
Elizabeth, or Liz, Lu took an idea and changed her whole community. She realized that too many people in regions like hers had no access to literature and literacy, to the written word, and she did something about it.
Her story is featured in Protectors of the Written Word alongside 24 others who have devoted their lives to sharing the joy of reading. The book brings together inspiring journeys from around the world, written as a heartfelt love letter to everyone who believes in the power of books. You can order your copy here.
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Millie Ramm
Millie has been writing since she was a child, and has spent more time with her nose in books than anywhere else. She has been ghostwriting novels and editing for the past few years, and when not working she is curled up with her cats, looking for her next read.
