Ken and I just got home last night from a five-week trip to Texas (also camping in Arkansas and New Mexico) and on one of our last nights camping, we came across a Little Free Library. Are you familiar with these charming little mini-libraries? The collage below shows just some of the Little Free Libraries Ken and I have come across on our travels across the country, and in our own hometowns when we lived in Kansas and here in Missouri.
Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota. According to their website, their mission is “to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes.”
The vision of Little Free Library is to have “a book-exchange box in every community and a book for every reader.” I love that idea! And not only is it a great goal, but the library boxes themselves are just charming! This one was near the bathhouse at Caddo Lake State Park in Texas. I’m always thrilled to find a book by one of my writers friends inside. Susan May Warren’s book was just begging someone to pick it up! (I’d already read this one or I may have grabbed it for myself!)
I’m finally learning to always have a few of my own books in the car, so when we come across a Little Free Library, I have something to contribute. This library had a special section designated for children’s books, so we added a copy of Ken’s Stick Horse picture book, and his young readers book, Dino Hunters: Discovery in the Desert.
This colorful Little Free Library may have been the one that introduced me to the charming little library boxes. We came across it a few years ago on one of our Friday garage sale dates. I’ve been intrigued by them ever since. I love the creativity of each one and how some of them have special themes for children’s books or inspirational books, etc.
This sweet replica of the houses on this brick street in Bellevue, IL was in front of an Airbnb Ken and I stayed at last September. I’ve dreamed of owning an Airbnb someday (though I’ve resigned myself to merely writing about Airbnbs at this stage of my life 😉 ) but if I ever did open a little inn, it would certainly have a Little Free Library in front of it!
This beauty was near Edisto Beach, near Charleston, SC. And sadly I had no books with me to contribute!
Do you have a Little Free Library near where you live? Have you ever exchanged books at a Little Free Library? I’d love to hear your stories about these charming little book nooks that I think are a new American icon!
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I recently finished reading Denise Hunter’s A Novel Proposal which includes a Little Free Library as part of the plot. So I feel like I could just walk outside and see the one her heroine built. I have never seen one personally, but I have donated books to ones just getting started. Now I need to go look at the site and find one in my area, just so I can visit and donate a book or two.
Oooh! Now I can’t wait to read that one! Thanks, Robin!
Our Friends group for our local library has installed a little library at a local park. Someone put a small bench nearby; it’s really a pleasant sight. We have a different volunteer for each month to check the library to see if it needs more books. We are in the process of getting another one put on the other end of our small town. Thank you for posting these pictures. Inspiring!
What a great project for a Friends of the Library group! Thanks for sharing this, Sandra!
These are very charming. I especially like the last one with it’s Victorian flare! One of the playgrounds in our subdivision now has a Little Free Library. I’ve added one of my books!
That’s a favorite of mine, too. Glad there’s a library near you where you can add your books!
I love little free libraries! This was such a genius idea and it’s encouraging to see how it took off and how widespread they’ve become. My husband and I are building a lake house that we’ll be renting out as an AirBnB. It’s isolated so it doesn’t make sense to put a freestanding little free library outside. But I definitely need to have a place inside that encourages guests to take and leave books!
Oooh, I’m a tiny bit jealous of your AirBnb. It sounds wonderful! And yes, I’ve thought of putting up a Little Free Library in our yard, but we live on a quiet, non-through street so it probably doesn’t make sense for me either.
A home not far from me I pass often, usually on my way to and from my church. During winter, it’s still there, but the lovely old wooden chair with an upholstered seat that sits beside the little library isn’t there. The chair is there as if inviting people to sit a spell and read during spring, summer, and fall. I’ve thought about putting one of my books in the library but never have. I think I need to rectify that!
You DO need to rectify that, Pam! And I love the idea of a chair beside the little box!
I love to discover these little libraries and grab a pic if hub will slow down.😊 Love seeing the ones you have shared here. Also love to see if I recognize authors.💗 One little library was on
the waterfront of our Inner Banks but a Hurricane came through a week later and the area was flooded.
LOL! “…if hub will slow down.” That’s the story of my photo-taking life! Haha! Like you, I love to see if there are any familiar authors in the Little Free Libraries.
I adore little free libraries! I donate inspirational fiction as often as I can. Deb, I’m amazed at the creativity of each one. So unique and lovely! Thank you for sharing your fabulous photos!
I love that you donate inspirational fiction. And agree about the creativity! I think there are some parameters you have to stay within to qualify for the Little Free Library designation and plaque that goes on the front of the boxes, so that makes the variety and creativity all the more amazing!
I have two Little Free Libraries within a block or two of my house. They popped up during the COVID period when everything was shut down. One is on an elementary school’s property, and the other is on the property of a church. Both seem to be restocked from time to time by someone, and I’ve seen people borrowing books from them. I have contributed a few books to them and have straightened them from time to time, but since I have lots of books of my own, I don’t borrow from either one. When I’ve finished reading my books, I have a couple of friends with whom I share my books. Once they have finally been returned to me, I donate them to the library used book store to be sold to profit the public library. The free libraries are a terrific idea!
Oh, my! Covid was the perfect opportunity for Little Free Libraries to thrive! How wonderful that you live so close to two of them!
Yes, the Little Free Libraries are everywhere here in Ames, Iowa. My 4-year old granddaughter brings a book home from every park and playground — and there are lots to visit here. We need to get in the habit of returning them more often though, so we don’t have to haul a couple of big canvas bags from the house and visit several libraries in a day to restock. I must confess, it scares me to see a cell phone in every child’s hand (even in the cartoons). The screen is so addictive. But I am encouraged to see beautiful, tangible books being passed to inspire reading in all generations.
I’m with you on hating those screens in the hands of children. Books are the perfect replacement though, aren’t they?
I shared this post with my coworker, as she put in a little free library in her yard a year ago. (She also put a small hook for dog leashes to give the owner time to peruse more freely.) There are several within their small town including one at the park made from an old tree stump. Here is the link to the news article
https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/turning-over-a-new-leaf-centuries-old-tree-transforms-into-newest-feature-at-allen-county-park/
So happy you were able to add some wonderful titles, including Ken’s, to the little free library you found on your trip!
Oh, that hook for dog leashes is such a great addition! Thanks for sharing this post with your friend, and I’m eager to read the article. Thanks, Jennifer!
Yes, I have known about little free libraries for a while and think they are wonderful. My granddaughter’s elementary school had one out front. She’s in high school now, so don’t know if it’s still there. Will have to check. So great that many of you authors are adding your books!
An elementary school is a wonderful place for a Little Free Library…for both moms in the pickup line and kids as they come to and from school!
So, I’m visiting my daughter, go with my grandson to his Taekwondo class at the community center, and there’s a Little Free Library!
Yeah!
Oh, I LOVE that!! Isn’t it interesting when you hear about something and then it starts popping up everywhere you go? So fun! Thanks for sharing this!
My sister, a retired kindergarten teacher, started a LFL a couple of years ago. Her husband built it for her and they set it up in the parking lot of our church. I didn’t really think it would get many visitors (it is on a quiet country road in a largely Amish community) but boy was I wrong! It gets a ton of visitors each week. She devotes the top shelf to children’s books and the bottom is for grown ups! Once a month the folks from a day program for people with developmental disabilities make the trip from the next town over to visit this little library. They are so excited to pick out their books and she always has a little snack for them. If you are ever in SE Ohio, stop by and visit it! And if you want to bring along one of your husband’s books, she would love to have it for her LFL!
Blessings!
Jean
That sounds wonderful, Jean! How nice that it gets a surprising number of visitors, too!
There is a LFL within walking distance of my house and I try to stop by once a week. I rarely find anything I want to read but I enjoy donating my books there.
That’s awesome, Ellie. Thanks for donating your books. It’s always sad when some of these Little Free Libraries are almost empty!
In Australia they are called Street Libraries. They are growing in number all the time. My husband built me one during the year of covid isolation. I love watching individuals and families come and use it. It is a three quarter size Tardis so has lots of books for all ages from babies to adults.
Street libraries. Love that! And I guess that’s one good thing to come of the pandemic!
My daughter has one in front of her house in downtown Houston and says it is well used…She said there are warehouses that provide free books for people who have official Little Free Libraries…..
Wow! I hadn’t heard that about the warehouses providing free books to stock the libraries! That’s really cool.
I love Little Free Librairies and these pics are especially sweet. Yes, I have used a couple when I have seen them! Out In the country where I live, there is one literally in the middle of nothing! I take books to put in every time I plan to be out that way and the fun thing is they’re always gone when I check the next time!
Doesn’t it make you wish you were a little mouse and could watch and see who’s taking those books?? 🙂
We have lots of Little Free Libraries around Spokane, Deb! Like the ones you have shown they are all different and so cleverly designed. The one a block from my house is a favorite and I have some books set aside to contribute. I love the concept because it temps people who might not otherwise be readers. Thanks for all those photos – each so charming!
Yes, I remember seeing several when Ken and I spent a few weeks at our son’s home in Seattle. I, too, love the concept! What’s not to love about a mini-library, right? 🙂
Absolutely! The more books the merrier!
I always keep books in the car for just in case I come across a little free library. I’ve found some of the best books in them! I dream of having my own one day, but until then, I’ll keep donating books to the little free libraries around my little town (with one just down the street!).
It would be so fun to own and stock one, wouldn’t it!?