Northwood News ♦ February 2015

‘Little Free Libraries’ Coming: Take a Book, Return a Book

By Linda S. Perlman

A Little Free Library (“LFL”) is a free book exchange for neighbors to borrow and return books.  If you see a book inside a Little Free Library box that you would like to read, then take it!  Once you are finished with the book, share it with a friend or bring it back to the LFL.  You are encouraged to help keep the Little Free Library stocked with good reading materials by contributing your favorite book to the library.  Neighborhoods have varied interests and each LFL will include different types of books.

Little free libraries are located in people’s front lawns, in parks, by restaurants or stores, and near apartment and office buildings.  By January 2015, more than 22,000 mini libraries worldwide had been registered with the Little Free Library organization.

You can build your own library or purchase a mini library box from the online catalog at www.littlefreelibrary.org.  Most little free libraries are boxes approximately 20" wide by 15" deep by 18" high, located on a post or other secure foundation (such as on top of a retaining wall or fence).  The size, design, color, and decoration of the library box are up to you.

A little free library should be placed in a location that is easily visible and accessible from the sidewalk or street.  Users should be able to look inside the library box without blocking pedestrian passage.  Unless you have permission to place a library on public property, the best strategy is to locate the library on private property.  If possible, the library box should be installed near a streetlight or have its own lighting.  Although incidents of vandalism are rare, it does happen.  You should take normal preventive measures such as placing the library in a secure and visible location and asking your neighbors to look out for it.  Theft of books is not an issue because the books are free.

Each little free library has a “steward” who looks out for the library box.  The steward generally is the owner of the library box and the property where the library box is located.  The steward is responsible for maintaining the library in good condition (clean, free of trash, and weather-safe) and for keeping the library box stocked with appropriate reading materials.  Many library owners plant flowers or landscaping around the library box.  Some people put a bench beside the little free library so that library users can sit and read.

If you want to make your library “official,” then you need to register the library box with the Little Free Library organization.  The benefits of registration include a steward’s guide packet, official charter sign and number for your library box, inclusion of your library on the official LFL World Map, and membership in the LFL network.

Little Free Library kits from www.littlefreelibrary.org range in price from “The Essential” at $174.95 to “The Midnight Sparkle” at $1,499.95, plus shipping and handling.  Several models also are available in the $269.95 to $349.95 range.  Purchase of a kit from the Little Free Library organization includes registration of the library.

The Northwood-Four Corners Civic Association is considering sponsorship of Little Free Library boxes for our neighborhood.  Neighborhood Building Party Kits of four LFL kits that can be easily assembled are available for $999.95.  NFCCA would arrange for the library boxes to be painted and decorated with the NFCCA logo (the tree shown on page one of the newsletter) and/or name.  Installation assistance would be available from the NFCCA, as needed.  Little Free Library locations and stewards will be chosen based on the proposed location of the LFL (i.e., neighborhood visibility and sufficient foot traffic) within the NFCCA area and the willingness of the steward to assume responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of the library.  A cost-sharing arrangement may be required, with the homeowner paying a certain percentage of the cost (such as 50 percent) and the NFCCA paying the balance of the Little Free Library cost.

If you are interested in the NFCCA Little Free Library project, or in becoming a Little Free Library steward and locating a library box on your property, please come to the next NFCCA meeting or send an email expressing your interest to LSPerlman at hotmail dot com or to nfcca at verizon dot net.   ■