This past year I put a Little Free Library outside my house. You can learn how to start your own LFL here. It has been one of the best things I have done for myself. For myself, you ask? Yes. Absolutely.
The library is located about a stone's throw from my living room window, right off a sidewalk on a corner street.
This photo was taken the ugly of winter in New England so.... I'll just have to get over that it looks like that and move along....
Seeing and hearing little kids choosing books and reading them outside my window warms my heart. Watching cars pull up to drop off books and take a few more means the world to me. Seeing a Dad read to his daughter in the Adirondack chair placed beside it made it all worth it. And hearing the little girl cry to her grandma that she didn't want to go (while choosing a book) as Grammy continued on down the street with the dog helped me know that I'm making a difference in my community.
And it got me thinking...
How could I incorporate this same concept in the classroom?
My students had heard me talk about my LFL at home. I had even shared pictures of it with them. Don't your students just love hearing more about your life outside of school. They asked if we could have one at school.
And so it began.
Using a little fold out table and a large straw basket, I filled the basket with books. I ordered books from Scholastic with bonus points, found them at yard sales, the Scholastic Book fairs, book sales at the local library and thrift stores. I even found a bunch on Facebook through community yard sales. There is also a website called booksalefinder.com where you can click on the map, find your state and see where all the book sales are in your area. Some are even free! I've scored at many where you fill bags for $2 or $5.
I started with a straw basked to teach my students how to care for the books.
They are familiar with this from our classroom library where they choose books for their book boxes but the review was valuable. I also wanted to teach the concept of take a book, leave a book which is the premise of a Little Free Library. That being said, I did not expect that students have to bring in a book and leave one to be able to take one but many did. Sending home this letter to parents to inform them of the LFL not only helped us get some donations but the parents were soooo supportive. They loved the concept. Throughout the year I received donations and donations of books.
A few months later I was in a thrift store and found a Little Free Library for $30. It had no post to put in the ground. I knew it would be perfect or our classroom LFL to put on the little fold out table.
I didn't paint it partly because I'm lazy and partly because I was so gosh darn excited about it I couldn't wait to bring it into school to show the kiddos and start using it. I made a quick sign, slapped it on and it was ready to go.
The kiddos were soooo excited about this. After some discussions and modeling about how to use it they chose books during snack time. And let me tell you...
The books filled their book bins.
The books went home.
The books went to lunch with them.
The books went out to recess.
The books came out during free choice time.
You would have thought I gave them a new car or a trip to Disney. Ya'll they were so excited about BOOKS!
Having a Little Free Library in my classroom has truly been one of the very best things I have ever done for my classroom. For one, It has brought our classroom community together. Kids want to take out and take home books shared by their peers. They want to read a book a friend of their has liked and shared. Secondly, I thought the LFL would create an interest in reading but I never thought it would make such a difference in the lives of these young students. Students who I had shown little to no interest in reading were now taking books from the LFL to add to their book bin and reading them during reader's workshop. They were actively engaged in reading and dialogue with their peers about their books.
Certainly my students have choice in the books they choose from our classroom. But the LFL offered the aspect of being able to keep the books they chose. This aspect brought on a whole new meaning to young readers. Suddenly, they now feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. They are no longer reading because an adult tells them too or its "expected behavior." They want to read that chapter book. They want to take home that book on horses. They want to show that book on cars to their brother.
Having a LFL in your classroom doesn't have to be expensive or fancy. In fact, one of the things I love the most about Little Free Libraries is how creative you can be with them.
A shelf or any kind or cart can make an adorable Little Free Library. This cart is often on sale at Target, Michael's, Amazon, or Ikea.
The great thing about this cart is that you can place the books on it however you like on each self- by level, by theme, etc.
You can even use a desk, bureau, or file cabinet.
If you're crafty you can use a Silhouette or Circuit to label the drawers and if not, or you're lazy like me you can use letter stickers.
Do you have a mini fridge from college laying around? It would make a great LFL. And bonus....it's also magnetic!
Crates like this look great in any classroom and this set of 2 can hold a lot!
A few months later I was in a thrift store and found a Little Free Library for $30. It had no post to put in the ground. I knew it would be perfect or our classroom LFL to put on the little fold out table.
I didn't paint it partly because I'm lazy and partly because I was so gosh darn excited about it I couldn't wait to bring it into school to show the kiddos and start using it. I made a quick sign, slapped it on and it was ready to go.
The kiddos were soooo excited about this. After some discussions and modeling about how to use it they chose books during snack time. And let me tell you...
The books filled their book bins.
The books went home.
The books went to lunch with them.
The books went out to recess.
The books came out during free choice time.
You would have thought I gave them a new car or a trip to Disney. Ya'll they were so excited about BOOKS!
Having a Little Free Library in my classroom has truly been one of the very best things I have ever done for my classroom. For one, It has brought our classroom community together. Kids want to take out and take home books shared by their peers. They want to read a book a friend of their has liked and shared. Secondly, I thought the LFL would create an interest in reading but I never thought it would make such a difference in the lives of these young students. Students who I had shown little to no interest in reading were now taking books from the LFL to add to their book bin and reading them during reader's workshop. They were actively engaged in reading and dialogue with their peers about their books.
Certainly my students have choice in the books they choose from our classroom. But the LFL offered the aspect of being able to keep the books they chose. This aspect brought on a whole new meaning to young readers. Suddenly, they now feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. They are no longer reading because an adult tells them too or its "expected behavior." They want to read that chapter book. They want to take home that book on horses. They want to show that book on cars to their brother.
Having a LFL in your classroom doesn't have to be expensive or fancy. In fact, one of the things I love the most about Little Free Libraries is how creative you can be with them.
Use a basket such as this one like I did for a cute and easy display.
Mailboxes like this one make adorable LFL's. You can rest them on a table or put them on a post just like you would a mailbox. Instead of putting the post in the ground you can put the post in a gallon bucket from Home Depot or Lowe's and fill it with Plaster of Paris. Then add some fake flowers. Adorable!
Do you have an extra shelf around? Or perhaps you could hit up a yard sale?
The great thing about this cart is that you can place the books on it however you like on each self- by level, by theme, etc.
You can even use a desk, bureau, or file cabinet.
If you're crafty you can use a Silhouette or Circuit to label the drawers and if not, or you're lazy like me you can use letter stickers.
Do you have a mini fridge from college laying around? It would make a great LFL. And bonus....it's also magnetic!
Even a simple bin like this is an easy and affordable way to have a LFL in your classroom.
If you have a larger singed classroom, a small doghouse or rabbit hutch can be found at antique stores, thrift shops or yard sales really cheap.
This vintage camper oven was found in an antique store and is super cute!
A toy box would be fun to decorate and make a LFL too!
So in sum...any kind of box or container can be used to house books as a LFL in a classroom especially since it will be inside and not exposed to the elements of weather.
I'd love to see what you come with and you already have one, I'd LOVE to hear about it!
