On Having a Little Free Library
We are thinking about getting a Little Free Library. I wrote to a neighbor with one about their experience and got a really great response. If you’re thinking of getting one, read on:
I wrote, “Hi, we saw that you have a Little Free Library. We live just down the road and were wondering how it has worked out for you. Any tips? We’re thinking of getting one for our front yard. :-)”
Their response:
Hi Lee and Megan-
4 households in a row put up the LFL. I am the steward of it. Surprisingly, it has been slow during COVID. We keep it filled though. And I wipe it down with disinfectant every day. I see people looking at it regularly and people donate as well. People leave boxes of books on my front porch. I cull from my own collection. What we are low in are children’s picture books.During precovid we had BART commuters checking it out so that was good.
Our library has been swept a couple of times (that’s when someone comes and takes all of them). Nothing we can really do about that. But if they were going for a group in need that would be ok. But these sweepers I think take them and try to sell them.Joining the group on Facebook or getting the LFL email gives some good info.
The object to me is get people reading.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hope you do it!
L S / Junction LFL
And another local “Librarian” wrote:
It’s been great having a Little Free Library! We put it up about six years ago. The great thing about this neighborhood is that you don’t really have to curate it (unless you want to) because there’s a lot of passersby who enjoy participating with it. We get people who will pull over while driving by to either put books in or take books out, as well as pedestrians. We haven’t had any problems with vandalism, either. I’d encourage you to put one up where you can see it from your house because it’s always exciting to see people stop by and take a book or leave a book–that never gets old!