I recently built a “little free library”, also commonly known as a “lending library” in front of my home. I wanted one of these for a long time and with the pandemic, I actually had the time to sit down and research little libraries, what they are, different models, etc. I had a lot of questions even before building one: how do I even start a little free library? how does it work? what are the rules?
Pre-pandemic it all seemed really daunting. Who is daunted by a little library? THIS GIRL. BUT SHE DID IT. I learned a few important things along the way that might be helpful to someone else who is thinking about building one of these. Below are some things I learned about starting up a little free library.
What exactly is a Little Free Library?
“Little Free Library” is a trademarked term by a non-profit (5013c) based out of Hudson, Wisconsin. It’s a community movement that started in 2012 with the goal of open and free access to books for all. Think of LFF library as the Kleenx of tissues… meaning it’s a brand that is probably the most well known. The website says that in order to use the Little Free Library name, library owners (stewards) should register their library for a fee.
Once you do that, you get a unique charter number on a small plaque you can put on your library. All that being said, you don’t have to register your library and pay for the plaque to register. This would also mean your library is not listed on their Little Free Library community map. Some people want to be listed, some don’t. There are certainly pros and cons to both scenarios.
Buying vs building
Another big decision you’ll have to make is whether you want to buy one or build one. You can buy one from the Little Free Library site or on Etsy (among many other places) or you can purchase little free library plans. I recently saw a plastic lending library by Simplay3 online that seems like it’s ready out of the box. Can’t vouch for the quality since I’ve never seen one IRL but this does make owning a lending library much more accessible.
- Buying: Next, consider the costs and time: On average, purchasing a pre-made wooden lending library can be anywhere from $150-$400. Then you’ll have to install the library with a post and/or cement depending on where you are setting it up. Good option for those who are looking for a quick out of the box solution.
- Building: The other option is hiring someone to build your little library (handy Taskrabbit or friendly neighbor) if you aren’t able to build it yourself. I found a handy neighbor through the Neighborhood app who I hired and worked with to build mine. This idea suited me best as my neighborhood is all about hyperlocal sharing and trading and hiring someone local to build a resource for my community was something that appealed to me.
- Upcycling: If you can’t buy, build, or hire someone to build it for you, you can also get creative! I’ve seen lending libraries made up of old bathroom cabinets, small coffee tables, TV consoles, old dressers, and more. Remember that you can use what you have!
Note on painting: If you get a library that is wooden and unfinished, you’ll definitely want to seal it to protect it from the weather. I live in LA so there isn’t much “weather” so to speak but wood will deteriorate over time and you definitely don’t want termites eating up your library! All this to say, you’ll need to factor in costs for sealant and paint if you want to customize it even further.
Filling and maintaining
- Ok, you’ve acquired and installed your library. Free books for all! Not so fast. Ain’t nobody comin’ to an empty or outdated little library! When I started out, I had some baby, kid, and adult books to get the library started. I personally wanted to make sure that my library was well stocked with good condition and somewhat current books so I actively let neighbors know I had started a free library and was looking for book donations. I very clearly remember driving around in the evening picking up books from neighbors to stock my library or driving across town to pick up a big lot of books I purchased off Facebook Marketplace.
- Within a few months, neighbors started to donate books on their own (yay!). I still have a stock of books stored in big bins in my garage and I’ll actively switch out to keep the library fresh or stock my own books when the library is low on donations.
- The extent at which you curate your library is definitely a personal choice but I have found that the most active and appealing libraries in my neighborhood are curated and maintained.
Community
There are a few community aspects with lending libraries: The little library “steward” community:
Related to registering your library with LFF.org, you get access to other like minded stewards, discount codes for books and more. There are also a few active Facebook Groups for little library stewards and owners. If you search on Instagram you’ll also find active little library hashtags that people use. You can probably tell by now that I’m really into this and kind of a nerd but the hashtags are so fun to follow. Many people have dedicated Instagram accounts for their little library too!
Building community within your neighborhood: Little libraries are a great way to meet neighbors and get to know them. My little library has a lot of young visitors who come with their parents and it is so rewarding to know that my library is a fun pit stop for people in the neighborhood. Parents tell me their kids love to stop by and pick out books! 🥰
I adore my library and the joy and sense of community it has brought to my neighborhood. If building/buying/repurposing a little library isn’t right for you yet, you could always look up existing little libraries in your neighborhood and regularly donate books to them.
