It’s little. It’s free. It’s a library.
Have you heard of Little Free Library? It’s kinda a grass roots project to encourage kids and adults to read and share in the community of reading. You may have seen these popping up in your own neighborhood.
I saw them popping up in front yards for the past few years and thought they were something to do with real estate. That was until I asked Greta’s friend, Honour, what it was. Books!
I became obsessed (shocker) with the idea and needed to have one. At first I thought I was going to build one with DH. We totally could have done it, but needed the time. Turns out we have very little extra time to fit things in right now. So, I decided to buy a basic model and add some of our own details that would match our actual house, like cedar.
This is how it arrived. In bits.
But, I heart an opportunity to customize. I wanted it to mirror our home.
So, I painted.
We then added cedar.
Nothing like the smell of fresh cedar! DH had to build a post as well for it to sit on. I’m sure you could buy something similar at a hardware store, but we love a good project around here.
I painted the cedar in a Country Grey white-wash (you can see my video short on this here.)
We added a knob, hinges and plexi-glass for the door.
Little Free Library will start you off with a stack of books too. How did they know I heart Nancy Drew?!
My goal is to let the kids in the neighborhood take and return at will.
Technically, you can build your own and just put books in it. You do not need to buy anything from the company or register it or anything. You can get as creative as you want. There are some helpful guidelines on their site and I love the community that lives there.
Loving ours.
These are fairly common here in Madison and Sun Prairie WI. It is a wonderful way to pass on books you are done with but others can enjoy. Books of all kinds are found. If you can pick up used books for a good price it is fun to stock these little boxes as you pass by.
There is one of these boxes on the stump of a large tree near me in Sun Prairie.
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I’ve seen them in Del Ray (a cool & hip community in the City of Alexandria, Virginia). One yard had one that matched their house. I never thought anything of it until this. It’s a really great idea!
I hope with your post on these little libraries that more people start putting them in their yards. It’s such a great thing for communities and bringing reading books back in style. People are too addicted to their computers and cell phones when a good ol’ book is a wonderful escape into around world….
We have one around the corner- thanks for reminding me to bring a few books over for others to enjoy!
I love these. We have just a couple in our neighborhood, made by the kids at the Montessori school (a great home-school project too). Yours looks terrific.