Friday, July 19, 2019

How to Start a Little Free Library in the Classroom

eas and tips for how to start a Little Free Library in your kindergarten, first, or second grade elementary school classroom.  Inspire a love for reading, build community, promote literacy in your building. Perfect for school sprit, classroom management, and getting parents involved! {ELA, reading, literacy night, LFL, 1st, 2nd, K} #takeabook #leaveabook


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.


eas and tips for how to start a Little Free Library in your kindergarten, first, or second grade elementary school classroom.  Inspire a love for reading, build community, promote literacy in your building. Perfect for school sprit, classroom management, and getting parents involved! {ELA, reading, literacy night, LFL, 1st, 2nd, K} #takeabook #leaveabook
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.


eas and tips for how to start a Little Free Library in your kindergarten, first, or second grade elementary school classroom.  Inspire a love for reading, build community, promote literacy in your building. Perfect for school sprit, classroom management, and getting parents involved! {ELA, reading, literacy night, LFL, 1st, 2nd, K} #takeabook #leaveabook

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!


eas and tips for how to start a Little Free Library in your kindergarten, first, or second grade elementary school classroom.  Inspire a love for reading, build community, promote literacy in your building. Perfect for school sprit, classroom management, and getting parents involved! {ELA, reading, literacy night, LFL, 1st, 2nd, K} #takeabook #leaveabook


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. 


Ideas for over 10 creative and inexpensive ways to incorporate a Little Free Library in your kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade classroom. Promote literacy, build community, and foster ELA skills in your elementary school with this free take a book, leave a book concept. {K, first, second, third graders, LFL, reading} #freebie #classroomsetup


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?



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!



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!



eas and tips for how to start a Little Free Library in your kindergarten, first, or second grade elementary school classroom.  Inspire a love for reading, build community, promote literacy in your building. Perfect for school sprit, classroom management, and getting parents involved! {ELA, reading, literacy night, LFL, 1st, 2nd, K} #takeabook #leaveabook





















Thursday, July 11, 2019

How to Start Your Own Little Free Library


Years ago, I was on vacation in Key West, Florida when I saw a Little Free Library for the first time.
Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvment

I was in love.

I didn't have a book on hand to donate but I took one from the library to enjoy on my vacation.

A Little Free Library is a "take a book, return a book" free book exchange.  The most common type is a wooden structure- bigger than a birdhouse but smaller than a dollhouse. The premise is that anyone may take a book or leave a book in the library. There is an understanding that the library is for the community. What I love about the concept most, is how it offers my favorite things in the world (except for dogs) which is books!  

I just adore how LFL's offer a unique, personal touch. You can design and build a Little Free Library to be as simple, unique, fancy, or outrageous as you like.  I especially like the ones that are inexpensive and made out with ingenuity.

Here are just a few of my favorites from Pinterest: 

 


 



As you can see by the choices above the only limit...is your imagination. Whether you use a wagon and wheel it in and out, an old newspaper bin, a rabbit hutch or a large mailbox- the options are limitless but they certainly don't need to be expensive. I've even seen one that was a converted small dorm fridge or a dog house.

I have a Little Free Library outside my home. I am not the LEAST bit handy so I bought my LFL on Amazon here.  When I bought it, it came with everything I needed and all I had to do was paint it, which I loved since it let me be creative!  I'm a single Mom so when I tell you it was super simple. I mean...It. Was. Super. Simple. I really liked being able to support the really nice guy who was starting his own own small business too by building them!  Win, win as far as I'm concerned.

Here's what it looked like:

Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvment



I painted mine with outdoor paint with primer in it that I got from Michael's. My mother said it should have primer it in since it's outside and it's my Mom and she knows stuff so I did it. 

Once you decide you want to have a little free library, you can "make it official" by becoming a Little Free Library Steward.  By registering your LFL, you are given a plaque (like the one shown on my LFL below) with your own unique charter number. This charter number is only yours and it puts you on the map. Literally. Now people can find your library. The cost is $40.  I'm going to be honest here and tell you that I don't think this is an absolute necessity. However, if you're like me and you believe in the cause and want to support Little Free Libraries and their mission to promote literacy, you may want to contribute.  

The littlefreelibrary.org site has a ton of helpful hints, tips, free resources (including flyers, brochures, etc). They even have a store to purchase everything from from LFL's to stamps.  Though I'll caution you....Little Free Libraries (though well made on the site) cost a small fortune.

Most of my traffic to my LFL comes from my community, neighborhood, and from the Facebook page that I created for it.  I don't think people found it via the LFL map.  I made a flyer telling people about myself and the LFL and walked around to people's mailboxes the old-fashioned way, door to door.  Yup.  I did. I also posted about it on my personal Facebook page and my town's Facebook page. 


Anywhoose....Back to the decorating...

Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvment

I used my Silhouette machine to make the lettering and windows.


Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvmentBuild community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvment

I found the really cute window boxes on Amazon here.


I did paint the interior of the LFL shelves and door with white paint because I live in New England and frankly...the weather is harsh here. The winters are cold stormy and the summer is just damn hot. I'm saying damn because I HATE the heat and it's my blog so I can.


In a perfect world, the library looks neat like this with bookmarks, pencils, and dog treats inside.

But...I'm keeping it real and most of the time...it doesn't.  I should check on it daily and fix the books to make sure they're neat but I have 2 dogs and a teen and...I'm lucky if dinner AND the dishes get done in the same night.

My LFL gets a LOT of use and I LOVE that, so the books are not always stacked neat and it doesn't always look neat and I'm learning to live with that because...

Kids use it.
Grown-ups use it.
Elderly people use it.
Teens use it.

And ya'll....it makes my heart soooo happy.

I don't remember when it was but I'll never forget the moment...a Dad and his daughter sat on the curb and he read her a book from the library.

And that is why.

That is why I spent the money I did to buy it
And decorate it.

The next day I went to the local hardware store and bought a plastic Adirondack chair and it sits under the tree beside the library.

Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvment


My son is 13. He is dyslexic. I read to him every single day when he was growing up.  When he found the right books, it changed his life and he became a reader.  

Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {reading, LFL, elementary, plans, ideas, tips} #freebooks #communityinvolvment


Have you thought about starting a Little Free Library?  How about starting one in your classroom?  

The next blog post will be all about starting a LFL in the classroom. It's super easy and super fun! 

Build community, cultivate readers and spark creativity with a repurposed Little Free Library. A fabulous DIY project, these portable libraries help promote literacy by offering free books for all. Learn how you can make your own on a small budget. {#reading, #LFL, #elementary, #plans, #ideas, #tips}