Little Free Libraries

[Ginevra]

Today’s opinion-based-on-experience post. Contribute your here. 
 

If you know of Little Free Libraries nearby, how successful do you observe them to be in getting worthwhile books to everyone? I do really enjoy seeing the little “houses” on a walking trail or in the center of a village Main Street. I often stop and see what books are in there. 
 

However, I rarely find quality books in them. Very often, it seems to be books that were bound for the trash but someone figured, oh well, I’ll just stick them in the Little Free Library instead. If it’s non-fiction, it’s usually outdated ideas (recently saw one about curbing your family’s TV usage); if it’s fiction, it’s almost always mass market paperbacks in genres of romance or crime. 
 

PS: one of the LFLs I know of near me is located less than a mile from a public “real” library and I wonder if there are people who would not go into the “real” library for whatever reason but would access a book from the LFL. But if that’s the case, I would rather see better-quality books in the LFL. 

[Katy]

I’ve rarely seen good books in them either. 

[LaughingCat]

I would think any good books put in them wouldn't stay around long -- the ones you see are the ones that didn't go fast.  We have one by an elementary and I put some popular kids chapter books in it -- gone the next day. 

 

[kokotg]

Yeah, they're cute and all, but the actual library (or a thrift store or whatever) works a whole lot better for finding books I want to read. 

[Sneezyone]

8 minutes ago, Quill said:

Today’s opinion-based-on-experience post. Contribute your here. 
 

If you know of Little Free Libraries nearby, how successful do you observe them to be in getting worthwhile books to everyone? I do really enjoy seeing the little “houses” on a walking trail or in the center of a village Main Street. I often stop and see what books are in there. 
 

However, I rarely find quality books in them. Very often, it seems to be books that were bound for the trash but someone figured, oh well, I’ll just stick them in the Little Free Library instead. If it’s non-fiction, it’s usually outdated ideas (recently saw one about curbing your family’s TV usage); if it’s fiction, it’s almost always mass market paperbacks in genres of romance or crime. 
 

PS: one of the LFLs I know of near me is located less than a mile from a public “real” library and I wonder if there are people who would not go into the “real” library for whatever reason but would access a book from the LFL. But if that’s the case, I would rather see better-quality books in the LFL. 

I grabbed an entertaining, new to me trashy romance novel from the one on our golf course. Depends on what your neighbors read, I guess. I saw lots of interesting titles in there. I have enough heavy reads at work.  Prefer light pleasure reads.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Sneezyone

[SKL]

The ones I've seen tend to be for kiddy books, and the kiddy books I've seen appear to be reasonably good books, considering ....

Our rec center has a take a book / leave a book program (at least it did before Covid).  I've seen them at hospitals and airports too ... again, before Covid.  I hope they come back.  The ones I've seen tend to be fiction only, which avoids the issues with old, outdated, uninteresting nonfiction books.

[J-rap]

I used to visit one in a hospital waiting room every month or so, and got some good books there!  I left some good ones too.

[Dmmetler]

I put mine in last year, and it gets used quite a bit. I have some kids who stop by almost daily.  I live across from an elementary school/neighborhood park and am at a middle school bus stop, so while I don't put just kid's books in, I do filter for appropriateness. I go to the friends of the library book sale racks about once a week, and to a big used bookstore when we go to Atlanta. I usually spend about .25-.50/book.  I end up weeding out about half of the books that aren't mine that show up-i have one neighbor, love her, that drops off really nice books that are totally inappropriate for elementary kids, so the friends of the library gets them. I get a lot of imagination library books, which is awesome.

 

One sad thing about being in TN-I'm getting a lot of books with stamps or markings that indicate they used to be in classroom libraries, and I'm guessing they're ones teachers have been told to pull. Most recently, it was a bunch of civil rights movement books like "One Crazy Summer" and "The Watsons go to Birmingham" 

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Dmmetler

[Spy Car]

In the "before times" they had one of these at the aquatic center where my son played water polo.

I hate to admit it, but I'd never really read a "bestseller" before, but I was bored and they had one of those legal-thriller type books by the big-guy who writes these (you'd know his name).

Involved a trial against "big tobacco" and a guy slips onto the jury though a wild series of machinations he makes sure big tobacco pays.

It was ridiculous. But kind of fun. Do you all use the term "twaddle" anymore?

Classic twaddle.

Bill

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

I put mine in last year, and it gets used quite a bit. I have some kids who stop by almost daily. I go to the friends of the library book sale racks about once a week, and to a big used bookstore when we go to Atlanta. I usually spend about .25-.50/book.  I end up weeding out about half of the books that aren't mine that show up-i have one neighbor, love her, that drops off really nice books that are totally inappropriate for elementary kids, so the friends of the library gets them. I get a lot of imagination library books, which is awesome.

 

One sad thing about being in TN-I'm getting a lot of books with stamps or markings that indicate they used to be in classroom libraries, and I'm guessing they're ones teachers have been told to pull. Most recently, it was a bunch of civil rights movement books like "One Crazy Summer" and "The Watsons go to Birmingham" 

 

 

 

Thank you for your commitment to maintaining the LFL. I think the lack of people maintaining them is probably why they are mostly full of the “wrong” books. 

[TechWife]

1 minute ago, Spy Car said:

In the "before times" they had one of these at the aquatic center where my son played water polo.

I hate to admit it, but I'd never really read a "bestseller" before, but I was bored and they had one of those legal-thriller type books by the big-guy who writes these (you'd know his name).

Involved a trial against "big tobacco" and a guy slips onto the jury though a wild series of machinations he makes sure big tobacco pays.

It was ridiculous. But kind of fun. Do you all use the term "twaddle" anymore?

Classic twaddle.

Bill

I use twaddle. Since covid I've renewed reading lighter books - it's a good brain break. Otherwise, I do read a lot of non-fiction or what the library calls "literary fiction" -  a classification I've never quite understood. Fiction is for after dinner.

[TechWife]

Ours seems to be used by kids a lot. I haven't looked at it because I've been using Libby for fiction.

[prairiewindmomma]

We often have good quality books in the ones around us, but that is because of a lot of hard work in coordination with the library, agencies, and people willing to fund to keep good books in the LFL. 
 

The post I read before this one was a call for more Spanish language children’s books for a specific LFL in a neighborhood where that is the predominant language. It looks like a few people have met that need, and it was posted only 6 hours ago. 
 

I have lived other places where it was as you describe—but, honestly, that is what people in that area read mostly.

[Dmmetler]

Just now, Quill said:

Thank you for your commitment to maintaining the LFL. I think the lack of people maintaining them is probably why they are mostly full of the “wrong” books. 

That's something that LFL really does point out-that you can't just put the box out and assume it will take care of itself unless you want old textbooks and Watchtower magazines. You can't count on books coming back. 

 

I really enjoy it. Both because it's a lasting memorial to my mom,but also because gifts are my love language, and seeing books vanish and not come back feels good. It's well worth the few dollars a week it costs, and since that money is helping to support the public library, it feels good to do that, too. 

 

[Farrar]

I'm in a heavily foot trafficked urban area. I routinely pass well over two or three dozen LFL's when I'm out walking.

I would say most of them have good books most of the time. There are a few that I've noted never seem to have anything much at all. And several that seem to be a repository for junk books that clearly no one wanted. There's one that hilariously has lots of celebrity biographies of the cheap kind but then I realized that must just be the maintainer's reading taste, lol. But I routinely spot good books in them. It's not always stuff I take since I mostly read on Kindle now. But I see things that I know are quality literature or good finds pretty regularly.

The heavy foot traffick may be a big part of this. I wonder if they're better in urban areas in general just because of potential volume and turnover.

[lmrich]

I think the good ones go fast. I got several best sellers from the one near me during 'high covid  days' and put it  back them back when in  done, and then would notice it would be gone by my next  walk. There is a stash of boring books that have remained for a  year.  

[Carol in Cal.]

Around here it’s a mix.

We even have books on CD donated at times, and DH loves that.

[Dmmetler]

Just now, lmrich said:

I think the good ones go fast. I got several best sellers from the one near me during 'high covid  days' and put it  back them back when in  done, and then would notice it would be gone by my next  walk. There is a stash of boring books that have remained for a  year.  

I pull books after about 2 weeks, figuring that everyone who wants to read it, has. Again, that's something the LFL folks specifically address-that most LFL's are going to have the same group of people visiting, so you need to at least rotate books so that there's something new to find. 

 

[Brittany1116]

The one nearest me is less than .2 miles from the library. It started out well but has had almost exclusively 1990s romance novels and cooking magazines since then. 

[MEmama]

54 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

One sad thing about being in TN-I'm getting a lot of books with stamps or markings that indicate they used to be in classroom libraries, and I'm guessing they're ones teachers have been told to pull. Most recently, it was a bunch of civil rights movement books like "One Crazy Summer" and "The Watsons go to Birmingham" 

Chilling 😞 

[MEmama]

We have quite a few in my neighborhood, though to be honest I've never stopped to look at the titles.

This might be dumb question, but can just anyone put books in them? Like, not just the homeowner/caretaker or a person who takes a book? I'd never thought to do that before (not that I'd have the courage anyway, I'd be too afraid of getting caught or something). 

[prairiewindmomma]

You can absolutely put books into them. They were originally conceived as a free book exchange---take a book, return a(ny) book....  There is a LFL by a park where I put a lot of picture books and board books.  Almost everything is always turned over within 24 hours. Youngest and I have literally played at the park and watch what we put in to the LFL be gone by the time we left the park. For that LFL, we almost always put in books, but rarely bring some home. There is, however, a most excellent LFL a couple of blocks down the road that carries sci-fi books almost exclusively, and we probably take from that one more than we give---but we do return quite a bit there. 

Here's the FAQ page on LFL: https://littlefreelibrary.org/faqs/

[Indigo Blue]

10 minutes ago, MEmama said:

We have quite a few in my neighborhood, though to be honest I've never stopped to look at the titles.

This might be dumb question, but can just anyone put books in them? Like, not just the homeowner/caretaker or a person who takes a book? I'd never thought to do that before (not that I'd have the courage anyway, I'd be too afraid of getting caught or something). 

I’ll ask a dumb question. (Although, I don’t think yours is dumb).

Are you supposed to return the book? Or is it take one, give one? 

[Dmmetler]

Yes, absolutely! The only caveat is that if you're dropping off a whole lot of books, please drop them on the front step with a note, vs overstuffing the box. 

[Dmmetler]

Just now, Indigo Blue said:

I’ll ask a dumb question. (Although, I don’t think yours is dumb).

Are you supposed to return the book? Or is it take one, give one? 

Either. I would say that about 3/4 of the books I put in mine eventually come back. I do stamp books so when a parent finds it under the bed 6 months from now, they know where it came from :). 

[Kidlit]

1 hour ago, Dmmetler said:

That's something that LFL really does point out-that you can't just put the box out and assume it will take care of itself unless you want old textbooks and Watchtower magazines. You can't count on books coming back. 

 

I really enjoy it. Both because it's a lasting memorial to my mom,but also because gifts are my love language, and seeing books vanish and not come back feels good. It's well worth the few dollars a week it costs, and since that money is helping to support the public library, it feels good to do that, too. 

 

Can you tell me more about this?  I love this--both the memorial part and supporting the public library part. I am 99% ignorant about how LFLs work.

[Kidlit]

1 hour ago, Dmmetler said:

I put mine in last year, and it gets used quite a bit. I have some kids who stop by almost daily.  I live across from an elementary school/neighborhood park and am at a middle school bus stop, so while I don't put just kid's books in, I do filter for appropriateness. I go to the friends of the library book sale racks about once a week, and to a big used bookstore when we go to Atlanta. I usually spend about .25-.50/book.  I end up weeding out about half of the books that aren't mine that show up-i have one neighbor, love her, that drops off really nice books that are totally inappropriate for elementary kids, so the friends of the library gets them. I get a lot of imagination library books, which is awesome.

 

One sad thing about being in TN-I'm getting a lot of books with stamps or markings that indicate they used to be in classroom libraries, and I'm guessing they're ones teachers have been told to pull. Most recently, it was a bunch of civil rights movement books like "One Crazy Summer" and "The Watsons go to Birmingham" 

 

 

 

Oh, my.  Both of those are SUCH good, memorable books.  I just quoted One Crazy Summer to a friend a few weeks ago. 

[kirstenhill]

18 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

I’ll ask a dumb question. (Although, I don’t think yours is dumb).

Are you supposed to return the book? Or is it take one, give one? 

I also think different LFLs have a different "vibe" - over the years I have only encountered one that had stamps indicating they came from such-and-such LFL, and most of the ones that I've watched seem to have mostly take one/give one vibes.  A few seem to mostly have the same books, and I am not sure if it is because people take them and return, or because they just don't get a lot of use.

In my old neighborhood in a large city, I found tons of interesting books in my block's LFL, and I specifically purchased quality used kids books to put in it in return.  There was a ton of turn over in the box and the box had an involved owner.  We had an interesting and eclectic neighborhood with a lot foot traffic, so I think that helped.  I saw interesting books in other LFLs in the the neighborhood as well besides just the one on my block.  In my new (smaller) city, I feel like I see less quality in general? But I may not be visiting the "right" ones.  We have one in our cul de sac that gets almost no traffic, because it is in such a super out of the way spot.  I have put a few interesting kids books in and they just sit there. I have peeked in a few in our neighborhood and they aren't terrible or empty, they are just more run of the mill - some trash/junk, some popular character kids books, a few that probably interest some people but aren't up my alley.

[Ting Tang]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

Today’s opinion-based-on-experience post. Contribute your here. 
 

If you know of Little Free Libraries nearby, how successful do you observe them to be in getting worthwhile books to everyone? I do really enjoy seeing the little “houses” on a walking trail or in the center of a village Main Street. I often stop and see what books are in there. 
 

However, I rarely find quality books in them. Very often, it seems to be books that were bound for the trash but someone figured, oh well, I’ll just stick them in the Little Free Library instead. If it’s non-fiction, it’s usually outdated ideas (recently saw one about curbing your family’s TV usage); if it’s fiction, it’s almost always mass market paperbacks in genres of romance or crime. 
 

PS: one of the LFLs I know of near me is located less than a mile from a public “real” library and I wonder if there are people who would not go into the “real” library for whatever reason but would access a book from the LFL. But if that’s the case, I would rather see better-quality books in the LFL. 

Ours was full of adult novels.  We were able to squeeze a few children's books into ours. We do not live in a library district, sadly.

 

[Dmmetler]

35 minutes ago, Kidlit said:

Can you tell me more about this?  I love this--both the memorial part and supporting the public library part. I am 99% ignorant about how LFLs work.

Basically, when you decide to do a LFL, you register it with the non-profit. They sell kits, pre-built libraries, or you can just pay a fee and get the registration plaque. There are guidelines, but ultimately it's a publicly accessible bookshelf-if it's outdoors, it needs to be weathertight as well.

When you do a library, you can dedicate it to someone or something, which is what we did. Your library gets a page on their website and is listed on maps. 

 

The Friends of the Library here collect used books to sell to benefit the library. They do a big several day sale in April,but have a small area all the time, ranging from a single shelf in some branches to an entire room in the main library. My branch library has themed books out in the table, and abookshelf section for each popular area-kids, mystery, sci-fi, romance, etc. Books are .25-$1.00. 

 

I go about once a week or so, drop off any books that I've weeded from my library which are in good condition (including all the "romance" books my neighbor drops off, the occasional thriller or horror that shows up, and anything else that I feel uncomfortable possibly going home with an elementary age advanced reader. Having had a kid who read Jurassic Park at age 6 when I didn't pay enough attention to what we checked out and ended up in tears because the dinosaurs were being mean, I'm not going to assume ANY book is not going to get picked up by some kid). , and go through what they have to add to my stock (and then do a BIG restock when they do their big sale or when I go to Nashville or Chattanooga, both of which have big used bookstores). 

 

So, each week the public library usually gets 10-15 books from me, and sells me about that many for .25-.50 each. It's definitely a mutually beneficial relationship at this point. 

[Terabith]

2 hours ago, Spy Car said:

In the "before times" they had one of these at the aquatic center where my son played water polo.

I hate to admit it, but I'd never really read a "bestseller" before, but I was bored and they had one of those legal-thriller type books by the big-guy who writes these (you'd know his name).

Involved a trial against "big tobacco" and a guy slips onto the jury though a wild series of machinations he makes sure big tobacco pays.

It was ridiculous. But kind of fun. Do you all use the term "twaddle" anymore?

Classic twaddle.

Bill

I took a writing class from him, back in like 1990, before he got big!  The cool thing about him is he can write really good books, but he couldn’t sell them to publishers. So he writes deliberate twaddle to get publishers to sell his books.  And they’re best sellers.  And then he can write the occasional good book that he loves.  

[JustEm]

The ones in my area are hit or miss but I'd say more hits than misses. One thing I do know is that our library system actually goes through their donated books and discard books to regularly deliver better books to them.

[mom2scouts]

I don't go to LFL too often so maybe I'm not a good person to ask. However, our large public library built a LFL that looks like the historic part of our library and put it right out in front of the library. They fill it with books that people can take and keep. I think they're often books that are being culled, but that doesn't mean they're outdated or poor quality. Our library buys multiple copies of very popular books, but they don't need to keep twelve copies of something long term, so they can go into the LFL. We also have one in our neighborhood that's mostly for children's books. Since kids outgrow books quickly, it can have books of all levels and quality. 

[Spy Car]

22 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I took a writing class from him, back in like 1990, before he got big!  The cool thing about him is he can write really good books, but he couldn’t sell them to publishers. So he writes deliberate twaddle to get publishers to sell his books.  And they’re best sellers.  And then he can write the occasional good book that he loves.  

Back around 1990, I was on location with a camera-person friend of mine and he was reading this book about scientists using dinosaur DNA to "resurrect" lost species. I remember saying something like, "I actually think such a thing might be plausible one day."

Then (curiosity somewhat peaked) I said, "let me take a look at that book."

I started reading and my eyes rolled back in my head. The writing was so bad. Look, look! Dinosaur! Run, run.

Reminded me of Dick and Jane books from first grade. Spot. See Spot run. Run Spot, run.

I remember saying to my friend, No offense, or anything, but that writing is absolute drivel. That guy's never going to make it 

Bill (who has been wrong before)

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Spy Car
I wonder if I'm the only one who remembers Dick and Jane? And sister Sally?

[Terabith]

11 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Back around 1990, I was on location with a camera-person friend of mine and he was reading this book about scientists using dinosaur DNA to "resurrect" lost species. I remember saying something like, "I actually think such a thing might be plausible one day."

Then (curiosity somewhat peaked) I said, "let me take a look at that book."

I started reading and my eyes rolled back in my head. The writing was so bad. Look, look! Dinosaur! Run, run.

Reminded me of Dick and Jane books from first grade. Spot. See Spot run. Run Spot, run.

I remember saying to my friend, No offense, or anything, but that writing is absolute drivel. That guy's never going to make it 

Bill (who has been wrong before)

 

 

Blasphemy!  I LOVE Jurassic Park!  (I mean, I would never hand it to a six year old.). It’s not great literature, but it’s very fun. 

[Spy Car]

6 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Blasphemy!  I LOVE Jurassic Park!  (I mean, I would never hand it to a six year old.). It’s not great literature, but it’s very fun. 

Oh, the writing is so sophomoric. I could not stand it.

That reminds me--I also got to see the film version before it went into to release. There was a special screening at Universal in their big scoring stage theater. One of the very nicest theaters to see a film, with perhaps the best sound system in town at the time.

And I invited my friend to join me (the one who had read the book).

I remember looking at him when were were safely away from others, shaking my head and saying. "What a disaster!"

Bill (who does not always have his finger on the pulse of what America likes  )

 

[Terabith]

4 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Oh, the writing is so sophomoric. I could not stand it.

That reminds me--I also got to see the film version before it went into to release. There was a special screening at Universal in their big scoring stage theater. One of the very nicest theaters to see a film, with perhaps the best sound system in town at the time.

And I invited my friend to join me (the one who had read the book).

I remember looking at him when were were safely away from others, shaking my head and saying. "What a disaster!"

Bill (who does not always have his finger on the pulse of what America likes  )

 

I was actually a sophomore in high school when it came out.  Or maybe that’s when I read it. So sophomoric was probably perfect!  It’s one of my favorite movies ever, though.  I watch it every Christmas Eve.  I have no idea why it’s a Christmas movie in my mind, but it is. I just love the part where they see the dinosaurs for the first time.  It’s awesome in the literal sense of the word.  
 

ETA:  I went back and read a lot of Crichton this year ( but not Jurassic Park), and several books I remembered as awesome were just…not nearly as good as I remembered.  I don’t want to spoil my memory of how much I loved Jurassic Park, though. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Terabith

[Spy Car]

2 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I was actually a sophomore in high school when it came out.  Or maybe that’s when I read it. So sophomoric was probably perfect!  It’s one of my favorite movies ever, though.  I watch it every Christmas Eve.  I have no idea why it’s a Christmas movie in my mind, but it is. I just love the part where they see the dinosaurs for the first time.  It’s awesome in the literal sense of the word.  
 

ETA:  I went back and read a lot of Crichton this year ( but not Jurassic Park), and several books I remembered as awesome were just…not nearly as good as I remembered.  I don’t want to spoil my memory of how much I loved Jurassic Park, though. 

Don't let me rain on your parade.

Say, have you ever had the opportunity to read the Dick and Jane series?  

Bill

[Terabith]

1 minute ago, Spy Car said:

Don't let me rain on your parade.

Say, have you ever had the opportunity to read the Dick and Jane series?  

Bill

LOL. Actually, I have!  They have reprints at Barnes and Noble.  Or they did when my kids were little.

”Look!  Look!  Look!”

[Dmmetler]

1 minute ago, Terabith said:

LOL. Actually, I have!  They have reprints at Barnes and Noble.  Or they did when my kids were little.

”Look!  Look!  Look!”

One of the things that I loved about Between the Lions was that they had a regular feature called Chicken Jane which was a direct parody of those books. I'm not sure their target audience would have understood why their parents were laughing so hard...

[Spy Car]

Just now, Terabith said:

LOL. Actually, I have!  They have reprints at Barnes and Noble.  Or they did when my kids were little.

”Look!  Look!  Look!”

First grade was such torture for me. I already pretty good reader before kindergarten and we get this?

Oh man.

I did manage to get through listening to the entire series of Bob Books when William was 4.

I felt like I deserved a medal for that sacrifice.

Mat sat.

Bill (Pill?  )

[Spy Car]

Before I totally knock the little aquatic center free library, I'm now reminded that I scored a very excellent book.

A collection of Yiddish stories (in translation) by Isaac Bashevis Singer that I'd read to my son when he was younger (in different anthologies) such as The Fools of Chelm, the Wise Men of Chelm, Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories, etc.

Now these, I'm telling you, are hysterically funny and--yet--have philosophical wisdom to share undergirding all the laughs.

If you like Jewish humor--and who doesn't?--huge recommend from me. 

Bill

[Faith-manor]

There is one in our neighborhood at the convenience store. I have kept it supplied with all kinds of quality things that probably makes the local crowd hate me with the fire of a thousand suns.

For kids: Marlon Bundo, Worm Loves Worm,  A Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter and the Sorcerors Stone

Teens/Adults: Fahrenheit 451, To Kill a Mockingbird, Maus, HandMaids Tale, Of Mice and Men.

The books disappeared shortly after I placed them in their respective lending libraries. I have no idea if they were taken home and read by others, or if some nosy fellow got rid of them.

No, Bill. I did not donate a copy of Moby Dick.

[wisdomandtreasures]

Lots of John Grisham and Danielle Steele in the ones I've seen... 

[Melissa Louise]

There's a gazillion near me.

They tend to have a mix of books.  The good contemporary stuff will be from a few years ago.  There are some classics, but they tend not to be in nice editions, hard to read. Lots of kids' paperbacks. Bestsellers (the horror!)

My particular peeve is when people put in their cookbook from 1967. No. No-one wants that.

So long as a little library is in good condition, has a flow of books in and out, I'd say it's healthy.

Do you guys know how few people read, and how little they read when they do?

If they are taking out a 'bestseller' or 'twaddle', good on them. At least they are reading.

Teaching literacy cured me of my snobbishness about what people read (not suggesting Quill is being snobbish!)

 

 

[ScoutTN]

Our have mostly junky books and low turnover, similar to what Quill described. 

[livetoread]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

This might be dumb question, but can just anyone put books in them? Like, not just the homeowner/caretaker or a person who takes a book? I'd never thought to do that before (not that I'd have the courage anyway, I'd be too afraid of getting caught or something). 

This brings up an interesting point that I hadn't realized before. Dh is a municipal attorney and someone requested starting some LFPs in the city parks. Dh advised against the city allowing it because once the city allows it on city property, the city cannot ban or favor any of the free speech that goes in them. One wouldn't think that it would be an issue, but if someone wanted to put racist material in them, the city could not remove it. The city can say no one can pass out books/literature, but it can't say what kinds people can and can't pass out if they are allowing it. Private property is totally different. So when the headline reads, "City of **** is distributing Mein Kampf in its Parks", it's too late!

[Lawyer&Mom]

We have a ton in our neighborhood.  Some stale genre paperbacks from the 1990s, but we’ve found lots of good kids books.  The good stuff goes fast.  I’ve donated too, but most of our discarded books end up at Goodwill.  I don’t see a downside to LFLs.  They are only adding to the book ecosystem, not replacing bookstores, libraries etc.

[Dmmetler]

1 hour ago, livetoread said:

This brings up an interesting point that I hadn't realized before. Dh is a municipal attorney and someone requested starting some LFPs in the city parks. Dh advised against the city allowing it because once the city allows it on city property, the city cannot ban or favor any of the free speech that goes in them. One wouldn't think that it would be an issue, but if someone wanted to put racist material in them, the city could not remove it. The city can say no one can pass out books/literature, but it can't say what kinds people can and can't pass out if they are allowing it. Private property is totally different. So when the headline reads, "City of **** is distributing Mein Kampf in its Parks", it's too late!

There are a few in parks here,but they have a specific group maintaining and responsible for them. They are explicitly labeled as NOT being the responsibility of the city, and usually are also labeled as being "Children's little library" or "family little free library".

[prairiewindmomma]

8 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

There are a few in parks here,but they have a specific group maintaining and responsible for them. They are explicitly labeled as NOT being the responsibility of the city, and usually are also labeled as being "Children's little library" or "family little free library".

This is how it is handled here also.