Walking around the neighborhood, as we all do, you might have noticed a box offering books. Little Free Libraries are not a new invention. All started in 2009 by the late Todd Bol from Hudson, Wisconsin. He built the first Little Free Library as a tribute to his mother. Friends and neighbors liked the idea and inspired him to build more and he gave them away. The idea took over and in 2020 they surpassed the 100,000 mark with more than a 100 countries worldwide participating.
You can find a Free Little Library near you from the Free Little Library website map, but not all free libraries are registered.
If you feel inspired to build your own free library the Little Free Library offers library boxes and also advice for building your own.
You do not need to leave a book in order to take one. I know a lot of people have decluttered their homes recently, but there was also higher demand on these books while your favorite book store was only online.
Considering the pandemic some free libraries now switched the books to offer canned food. Others made a seed library, so we can all start to grow our own vegetables.
Free libraries not only are a great way to share goods, some are also very creative little boxes.
Have you picked up a book from a little free library?
Interesting read about a a phone booth at the Los Gatos library: Call me Ishmael