By Sandra Nachlinger
Driving down 132nd Avenue N.E. in Woodinville, Washington, on our way to the Chateau Ste Michele Winery, my husband and I spotted a delightful surprise – a Little Free Library! My first sighting of one of these book giveaway stations occurred on an urban hike through Seattle’s Montlake and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. Curious, I later did research online and I’ve been keeping an eye open for the free book stands ever since.
Driving down 132nd Avenue N.E. in Woodinville, Washington, on our way to the Chateau Ste Michele Winery, my husband and I spotted a delightful surprise – a Little Free Library! My first sighting of one of these book giveaway stations occurred on an urban hike through Seattle’s Montlake and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. Curious, I later did research online and I’ve been keeping an eye open for the free book stands ever since.
According to the Little Free Library website:
"In the beginning - 2009 - Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one room schoolhouse. It was a tribute to his mother; she was a teacher who loved to read. He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it. He built several more and gave them away. Each one had a sign that said FREE BOOKS."
Together with Rick Brooks of the University of Wisconsin –
Madison – they started the Little Free Library movement. The idea took off. "In June of 2016, we reached 40,000 libraries worldwide."
I think this "take a book, return a book" exchange is a great way to encourage reading and promote literacy. Are there Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood? If not, have you considered creating one yourself?
Information on participating (either by creating your own library or through donations) and even a video on how to build a little library can be found on the Little Free Library website: HERE
OMG!You were a stone's throw from my brother's house. We really need to get together sometime! And I need to go see that Little Free Library. I wonder if there's a directory.
ReplyDeleteThey are a great idea. One was used in a recent Hallmark series. Although I have not seen one, one of the places we camped years ago had one in their little post office with the take one and leave one sign.
ReplyDeleteThere's a map giving locations of Little Free Libraries on the website: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
ReplyDeleteHow darling and such a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of these, but what a marvelous idea. I'll check out the locations. Maybe there's one here in the South Sound.
ReplyDeleteKelly Marshall
The community where our country house is located has 2 locations for the Little Free Library--one at the post office and one at the Visitor's Center. I usually put the Rita books I receive in these libraries.
ReplyDelete