Little Free Library

[Dmmetler]

DH and I have discussed doing this in the past, and I'd really like to do something as a living memorial to my mom that I can keep up with, so we were thinking that might be a good thing (we've donated to a lot of the programs she was very active with in her community, but I want something I can see). Our corner is the bus stop for the middle school/senior high (and we have a tree that regularly sprouts jackets, bikes, skateboards, etc in the morning-usuaklt they get picked up in the afternoon) and we're across the street from an elementary school and park, and a lot of parents park on our street and have kids walk to them vs fighting the car line.  

 

It looks like we can get a kit and set it up for a few hundred dollars. I figure I can go to library book sales and yard sales to find good books to stock it.  I was also thinking maybe getting a garden bench to sit next to it, so kids waiting for the bus have a place to sit and read (and maybe more places to leave their transportation 🙂 ) 

 

What am I forgetting? 

[catz]

This is a lovely idea as a memorial!  ❤️  These are very popular in our neighborhood.  A lot of them here will say explicitly on them book donations welcome, so a lot families swap a book when they take one and keeps stock rotating.  You could label it as a tween/teen libarary too.  

Someone here has a full size blue phonebooth tardis free little library in their yard, so cute!  

[lmrich]

I absolutely love  this idea! Most around here are take a book, leave a book kind of thing. 

What a beautiful tribute💖

[Hilltopmom]

If you want it to be just for kids books, specify that.

if not, having separate shelves or doors for kids be adults is good.

lots of adult romance books get piled on top of them kids books

we have a neighborhood one and people dump old magazines and crappy books in it so be prepared to cull weekly if need be (a few of us rotate that task)

 

 

[Dmmetler]

Also, I'm taking suggestions on what books I should stock. My mother was very involved in ministries and outreach towards those who would otherwise be forgotten, including being a volunteer chaplain at a poultry plant, being the unpaid administrative assistant for years for a ministry focused on supporting the children of incarcerated parents and their caregivers, going into the women's prison to provide emotional support for the women there (and baking thousands of cookies), and most recently, programs for the homeless population, including convincing the church to put in banks of washers and dryers and showers so the guests can come in, clean up, do laundry, eat a meal, etc. (And my former bedroom has been occupied by more than a few people who need a place to stay for awhile from various groups). I'd love to stock books for kids that would support her aims, which were basically focused on meeting needs, and that they will know we are Christians by our love.  

 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

15 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

Also, I'm taking suggestions on what books I should stock. My mother was very involved in ministries and outreach towards those who would otherwise be forgotten, including being a volunteer chaplain at a poultry plant, being the unpaid administrative assistant for years for a ministry focused on supporting the children of incarcerated parents and their caregivers, going into the women's prison to provide emotional support for the women there (and baking thousands of cookies), and most recently, programs for the homeless population, including convincing the church to put in banks of washers and dryers and showers so the guests can come in, clean up, do laundry, eat a meal, etc. (And my former bedroom has been occupied by more than a few people who need a place to stay for awhile from various groups). I'd love to stock books for kids that would support her aims, which were basically focused on meeting needs, and that they will know we are Christians by our love.  

 

I wish I had known your mother.  She sounds like someone who loved God and lived out her faith.  
I share her faith, and look forward to meeting her someday. A little library sounds like a beautiful tribute.

[wathe]

We've had one since 2018, complete with bench. It gets heavy use.  I stocked it with a few books - Harry Potter and a few other high-interest youth fiction books, some picture books, some non-fiction.  Ours is "take book, leave a book".  I cull every few weeks or so; it tends to get overstuffed.  I pull out the junky books, disintegrating books,  and the books that obviously aren't circulating.  We used it as a home-sewn mask distribution point during the first few months of covid.  We made ours from wood scraps.  The only costs were the plexiglass and some hardware.

[ScoutTN]

Sounds like a great idea to me!!

[Brittany1116]

1 hour ago, Hilltopmom said:

If you want it to be just for kids books, specify that.

if not, having separate shelves or doors for kids be adults is good.

lots of adult romance books get piled on top of them kids books

we have a neighborhood one and people dump old magazines and crappy books in it so be prepared to cull weekly if need be (a few of us rotate that task)

 

 

This. There is one in our town that started out with variety. I haven't found a kids book in a year. Romance novels fill 80% of the space when I drop off. I took a dozen picture books today and only saw romance and 1 magazine. 

[vonfirmath]

If you want Adult books, I'd include Neta JAckson's House of Hope series.

For kids books you might look at the WAlly McDoogle books. It is a series for ages 8-12 that  is fairly funny while still teaching good Biblical truths.  We just read the first book "My Life as a Smashed Burrito with Extra Hot Sauce" in which Wally learns to see his biggest enemy/tormentor as just another kid with much bigger problems than he has himself.

 

[Brittany1116]

1 minute ago, vonfirmath said:

If you want Adult books, I'd include Neta JAckson's House of Hope series.

For kids books you might look at the WAlly McDoogle books. It is a series for ages 8-12 that  is fairly funny while still teaching good Biblical truths.  We just read the first book "My Life as a Smashed Burrito with Extra Hot Sauce" in which Wally learns to see his biggest enemy/tormentor as just another kid with much bigger problems than he has himself.

 

So funny, I also read them as a kid. Someone gave me old copies of the first 6. I have them on the shelf for my kids. I did read some Amazon reviews and a couple people said there were some now non-PC quips but I don't remember the references.

[MercyA]

I love this so much. Your mother sounds like an amazing woman. Wow. I am in awe.

I hope you will keep us updated on the library and share pics if you can! 

Kids' books focused on meeting needs / loving others. None except the last one are explicitly Christian:

The Front Desk series for tweens (pro-immigrant; DD liked these)

Who Is My Neighbor? by Jill Devine (picture book written by a Jewish author and based on the parable of the Good Samaritan)

A Pig Is Moving In by Claudia Fries (picture book story about being welcoming to all and not judging by appearances)

It's Brave to Be Kind by Natasha Daniels (picture book about being kind to a new student who does not speak English)

Because of You by B.G. Hennessy (peace-focused picture book)

Mr. Bear and the Bear by Frances Thomas (picture book about a "grumpy" elderly man doing something VERY kind for a performing bear)

God's Special Rule is a simple picture book for young children on the Golden Rule, only $2.49 a copy. Excerpt: "I am learning a special rule. Do you want to learn it too? It's all about loving others, just as God wants us to do. You look very hungry. What if I were hungry too? I'd want someone to bring me food, so I'll give food to you....You look as if you're feeling sad. What if I were that sad, too? I'd want a friend to talk with me, so I will talk with you...etc. Now we know God's special rule, and we can say it too. God says, 'Do to others just what you'd want them to do to you.'"

Edited May 15, 2022 by MercyA

[itsheresomewhere]

We have one a few houses down.  It has a mix of things. 
 

For awhile- it was a target of chronic vandalism.  The door was ripped off, smashed, library run over, etc. Whoever got their kicks out of hitting it and destroying the door must have found a new hobby.  

[Bnogo24]

Love this idea!  Is there room to go 2, one for kids and a separate one for kids?

How is your dad doing? 

[Dmmetler]

51 minutes ago, Bnogo24 said:

Love this idea!  Is there room to go 2, one for kids and a separate one for kids?

How is your dad doing? 

He's struggling, but getting back into things, which I'm sure helps. I worry about him. 

[prairiewindmomma]

We help support one. I generally aim for the PK- grade 6 crowd. Many books will be taken the same day….especially Magic School Bud and other popular series books.

Plan for ant control, wind damage, and vandalism. Ripped off hinged doors is a problem in our area with little free libraries. We also had someone do a beautiful painted portrait of George Floyd on a food pantry LFL that got spray painted over with some hate graffiti—I would keep your images generic if you can, and maybe paint an “in memory of” across the front of library in hopes of keeping it protected….

 

[vonfirmath]

We just got a warning over our neighborhood group that the Little Free Library in the park has a yellow jacket nest in it. Someone's husband is going to take care of it this evening when it is cooler.

[wintermom]

Great idea! I hope the project goes well. I have no experience using one, but there's one just down the road and I love the look and feel of it. It's like a warm message to the neighbourhood that makes it just feel more friendly. ☺️

[Kassia]

17 hours ago, itsheresomewhere said:

We have one a few houses down.  It has a mix of things. 
 

For awhile- it was a target of chronic vandalism.  The door was ripped off, smashed, library run over, etc. Whoever got their kicks out of hitting it and destroying the door must have found a new hobby.  

I have two friends who invested so much time and money into theirs and both were victims of vandalism with one being totally destroyed.  Just awful.

[stephanier.1765]

7 minutes ago, Kassia said:

I have two friends who invested so much time and money into theirs and both were victims of vandalism with one being totally destroyed.  Just awful.

I honestly can't imagine the mindset of someone who does something like this. Do they take joy in the actual vandalism? Do they take joy in someone else's joy being squashed? Ugh, some people!

[prairiewindmomma]

I forgot to add—look at doing the doors onto a separate piece of wood braced on top of the frame. If they rip the screws enough times taking off the doors then you can replace the bracing wood and the box of the library should still be ok. 

[Dmmetler]

3 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I forgot to add—look at doing the doors onto a separate piece of wood braced on top of the frame. If they rip the screws enough times taking off the doors then you can replace the bracing wood and the box of the library should still be ok. 

I really HOPE that won't be an issue, but it's good to know.