Years ago, I was on vacation in Key West, Florida when I saw a Little Free Library for the first time.
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:
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...
I used my Silhouette machine to make the lettering and windows.
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.
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.
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!
No comments:
Post a Comment