5 Reason to Start a Little Free Library

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. 

Marcus Tullius Cicero 

Have you heard of the Little Free Library ? I recently discovered this wonderful program and want you all to know about it! 

It is no secret that I love to read.  I love to read pretty much anything.  As a child, I lived within walking distance of a local library branch and went there a few times a week and checked out as many books as I could.  You can imagine how heartbroken I was when it closed.  It was traumatic! 

But now, through the efforts of littlefreelibrary.org, the neighborhood library can be a reality again.  In fact, you can have a little free library right at your own home. I'm starting one to share with the farmgirls who belong to Maryjanesfarm.org.  

Little Free Libraries work like this:  It is a box of books where you "take a book, return a book" and donate books too.  Not many rules except that the books that you borrow should be returned to share with others - not taken and sold.  

The concept was started by Lutie Stearns who traveled thousands of miles in a horse drawn wagon to share books with others - all between the years of 1895 and 1914.  There is a book about her titled Books in a Box: Lutie Stearns and the Traveling Libraries of Wisconsin.

I encourage you to consider bringing a Little Free Library to your area.  Here are five reasons to consider: 

• You consider reading a skill to be vital to your well being and want to help others be well too. 
• Little Free Libraries build the intellectual curiosity of your community through the sharing of stories and knowledge of all kinds. 
• Early exposure to reading increases the likelihood of future success in our children. 
• When children see adults reading, it reinforces the joy of the process and encourages life long learning. 
• Reading is a healthy escape from the stresses of daily life. 

So how do you get started?  The registration fee to be an official Little Free Library is $34.95 and you can apply for support to help with the cost through the website.  Look around on the site to get some ideas of what the box of books can look like.  Sometimes it is literally a box of books, others have re-purposed old newspaper kiosks and a few have built really elaborate book boxes.  Some of them are really amazing.  Crowd sourcing is also an option.

Next is to get some books!  You can request donations of books, go to Friends of Library sales or check out Goodwill next time you are near one.  Just get a few books in there to get the process started. Then, spread the word and get books into the hands of readers.  It is a great service to your community and also a good service project for organizations, scout groups or others that want a easy project with big rewards.  

I'm so glad I found this resource and am so looking forward to sharing my love of books with others...plus, I always secretly wanted to be a librarian.  :) 

Have you seen a Little Free Library in your community yet?  I hope you do soon...let me know in the comments.  

Oh, I almost forgot - Happy New Year!  I'm sending prayers for blessings for each and every one of you. Thank you so much for visiting with me regularly. 

Friday's posts are always on reviewing my progress on one of the MaryJane's Farm merit badges.  Tomorrow's post will be about my adventures in making laundry soap.  I hope to see you then. 

Peace be with you, 

Star Schipp     

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