Little Free Library: 8 Things You Need to Know Before You Build It
Have you been longing for your own Little Free Library, those cute birdhouse-like structures where people can take a book or leave a book? In July, my husband made my dream come true and built me my own Little Free Library. In five short months, I've learned a lot of things I didn't quite expect or think of. Here are some things you may want to consider before adding a Little Free Library to your Christmas wish list.
Your Little Free Library May Be Vandalized.
After becoming a Little Free Library member, you are given
Dishonorable Booksellers May Steal Your Books.
My book thief (not the one by Markus Zusak) came in middle
of the night…ok it was 10:15pm, but it was the middle of the night for me and
it was dark. He actually used his phone
as a flashlight like a thief in the night that he was. I watched from a window as he went back and
forth to his car trunk pulling out books to replace the ones he was taking from
my library. I didn’t confront him by
myself in the middle of the night, because if he was lowlife enough to steal
books from a Free Little Library, who knows what else he had up his
sleeve. After he left, I went to look at
the books he left—many diet books, dilapidated paperback Westerns from the
1970s, and other old, worn-out undesirables.
Each one of the nine books he left behind had double discard marks on the cover
that are found in bookstores—and all the nice novels I had in there were gone,
many of which I had bought specifically for the library.
I
was dumbfounded. I didn’t want to resort to nasty notes in my library, but I
didn’t know what else I should do. I broke down and put up a note recounting
the incident (in nicer words) and emphasizing that these books are not
available for booksellers. Then I
waited. Annnnnnd it happened again—and
again. What did I expect? That this
person would suddenly turn into a decent human being? Next step: I looked up
used bookstores in my town and was ready to march in there and confront
them. But there are only two in town,
both of which I had been to numerous times.
I really didn’t think they were the culprits. I realized that this crook
is probably not a store owner. He’s
probably selling them online from his basement at home.
Mine is not an isolated incident. Many stewards experienced the same type of theft, which is why the Little Free Library online store sells a stamp
stating: “Always a Gift, Never for
Sale: LittleFreeLibrary.org.” Ugggh.
I didn't want to, but I knew my only option was to start stamping books. I didn’t buy that particular one however. I ordered a custom one on another site
because I wanted a more blatant message as to why I was stamping books. My stamp reads “FROM A LITTLE FREE
LIBRARY. ALWAYS A GIFT, NEVER FOR SALE.
NOT TO BE SOLD IN BOOKSTORES.” I stamped the inside cover of each book, so he could
not just rip a page out of the book, and I also stamped the top pages of the book.
Did
it work? YES!! So, now before stocking the library, I stamp
the books and also take out donations to be stamped and returned. One woman noted that instead of stamping the books, she just took a marker and wrote FREE on the top pages. That works too, but I didn't think it looks as tidy as a stamp.
Expect the Unexpected
Items.
Besides books, people sometimes donate other unexpected
items. I’ve had someone place a few classical CDs in there. And since I have
plenty room in my large library, I left them and a week or so later someone
took them. I’ve also had someone donate an entire stack of gaming
magazines. They did take up a little
more room than necessary, so I took half inside for later distribution. Other stewards have posted they’ve found toys,
a framed photo of a child, knickknacks, and a bag of hard-boiled eggs.
One of the perks of being an official registered Little Free Library steward, is the opportunity to have your library listed on the world map with a short description, photo, and location. If you don’t put your address in, then just the GPS coordinates will be listed. In order to have this information uploaded you must complete an online application. It is not something you can upload yourself. Many times the employee/volunteer(?) who enters the photos, puts them in sideways instead of upright. Before I became a steward, I assumed that some elderly or inexperienced computer user uploaded the photos themselves and didn’t know how to rotate them. Turns out you're not the one doing it, so you have no control over it. My photo was displayed sideways, too, and I had to email a request to have it straightened. Odd.
Not Everyone is Book
Friendly.
If you live in an area with an HOA, you may want to check
with them before erecting your beautiful library. One woman found out the hard way that HOAs
can be unrelenting. They made her remove her library because it was against the
covenants.
Likewise one man was told to remove his library in a
small-minded town by authority of some hare-brained city ordinance. After much protest from LFL supporters, he
was eventually allowed to keep his library.
This is probably not a common problem, but you never know.
Expect Religious
Materials.
I have nothing against religion, but my Little Free Library
was not intended to be a religious pulpit or political platform. I wanted my
library to be an exchange of interesting books: novels, biographies, kids’
books, etc. Christian novels are fine, but when someone feels the need to slip religious
pamphlets in my library, I just put them right into the recycling bin.
Where to Get Books.
So, where do you get books to stock your library? Some people
get bags of donations left on their doorsteps, but not everyone is that lucky. I have read that many stewards purchase books
on their own to keep their library filled. Many go to thrift stores when their
libraries are low. I, too, have bought books. Sometimes I buy kids’ books at the Dollar
Store. Other times, I find used books for sale at my city library bookstore. If I find a popular title or a book I have
enjoyed in the past, I’ll buy it for my library. Some are great finds on the 25
cent rack, others cost $1 for paperbacks.
One steward scored at a yard sale when she told the homeowner that she
has a Little Free Library and would love if they could donate any books that
are left after the sale. Done deal! She got a load of good books. Another woman said
she found 50 children’s books for $50 on ShopScholastic.com. Some have placed
weather-proof book donation boxes right next to their libraries. Other people post requests for books on their personal
Facebook pages or Blogs.
Little Free Libraries Spread Happiness.
I have not regretted putting up my Little Free Library. In the end, even with some setbacks and challenges, having a Little Free
Library has given me a lot of joy and brought smiles to many others. It’s
always thrilling when I see someone checking out my library. And as a person who’s regularly sought out
Little Free Libraries, I still get excited and have to stop when I spot a new one somewhere. I even map out Little Free Library stops when I take road trips. It's like a treasure hunt for me. Each one is unique. Some are amazing works of art. Whether you're a steward or a patron, it's a great way to share your love of books! If you're still ready to have your own library, visit http://www.littlefreelibrary.org for more information. If you live in the Coeur d'Alene, ID or Spokane, WA area and are looking for a custom library, check out my August post My Own Little Free Library.
Happy Reading,
Annette
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