Little Free Library Etiquette

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate you stewards out there! We have several immediately around us and I’m amazed at the crap people put in them. But the owners must regularly sift through and take out the garbage because the next time I come back, the LFLs are just full of wonderful, good quality books again. My kids particularly love them.

Last time I looked at ours there was a bag of tiny broken crayons. Nice new crayons maybe but these were trash.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine, OP. There are plenty of us out there who just want to get rid of books!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't you put the book back once you've finished reading it? That would be good enough.

I couldn’t agree any more.

[Anonymous]

IMHO Books should be put back out into the Little Library Ecosphere.

Any location. But put out for someone else to enjoy.

[Anonymous]

It’s an honor code system for my LFL. If you love the book keep it.

[Anonymous]

Question for LFL stewards: If you stamp your books with a LFL stamp, do you want them to be returned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for LFL stewards: If you stamp your books with a LFL stamp, do you want them to be returned?

No, it's like a passport. I have books in mine that have stamps from other LFLs and I add mine. It's fun to see the books travel!

[Anonymous]

I had such a disappointing experience this weekend! I went to a few boxes this weekend looking for a good book to read for the upcoming long weekend. What a scene. Trash were in some, books from the 60's with mold, ripped covers and no covers, ripped pamphlets, doors ripped of some and empty (why haven't these been fixed or removed by the owners?) There were not only no decent books these are now used as what appears to be trash cans. What a total disappointment.

This movement seems to be long over. This is why we can't have nice things. This is what happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had such a disappointing experience this weekend! I went to a few boxes this weekend looking for a good book to read for the upcoming long weekend. What a scene. Trash were in some, books from the 60's with mold, ripped covers and no covers, ripped pamphlets, doors ripped of some and empty (why haven't these been fixed or removed by the owners?) There were not only no decent books these are now used as what appears to be trash cans. What a total disappointment.

This movement seems to be long over. This is why we can't have nice things. This is what happens.

LFL have always been useful for junk. If you want a good book in good condition, visit your local library. You've already paid for the books with your taxes.

[Anonymous]

I participated in this thread back in 2023 when it started. My LFL is still going strong. My husband and I still check it every morning and I rotate the books once a month. Still stop off books that don't move at other boxes.

One thing I have noticed is that boxes outside homes are usually kept up. Boxes in parks, at pools, etc are sometimes neglected. One has a little sign that it was a scout project. I'm guessing that young person is long gone and no one is really the steward of the box anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I participated in this thread back in 2023 when it started. My LFL is still going strong. My husband and I still check it every morning and I rotate the books once a month. Still stop off books that don't move at other boxes.

One thing I have noticed is that boxes outside homes are usually kept up. Boxes in parks, at pools, etc are sometimes neglected. One has a little sign that it was a scout project. I'm guessing that young person is long gone and no one is really the steward of the box anymore.

Sorry, still drop off books in other boxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had such a disappointing experience this weekend! I went to a few boxes this weekend looking for a good book to read for the upcoming long weekend. What a scene. Trash were in some, books from the 60's with mold, ripped covers and no covers, ripped pamphlets, doors ripped of some and empty (why haven't these been fixed or removed by the owners?) There were not only no decent books these are now used as what appears to be trash cans. What a total disappointment.

This movement seems to be long over. This is why we can't have nice things. This is what happens.

Definitely not over where I live. We have multiple LFLs on the same block on our street alone and both are regularly tended to by their owners, including a water bowl for dogs at one of them. The inventory is a mixed bag with some titles remaining seemingly forever; but the LFLs are full - one often overflowing - and a variety of genres, from kid to adult.

[Anonymous]

I live in Arlington and the LFL is going strong in my area! I rarely take, but I usually donate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I participated in this thread back in 2023 when it started. My LFL is still going strong. My husband and I still check it every morning and I rotate the books once a month. Still stop off books that don't move at other boxes.

One thing I have noticed is that boxes outside homes are usually kept up. Boxes in parks, at pools, etc are sometimes neglected. One has a little sign that it was a scout project. I'm guessing that young person is long gone and no one is really the steward of the box anymore.

Sorry, still drop off books in other boxes.

What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I participated in this thread back in 2023 when it started. My LFL is still going strong. My husband and I still check it every morning and I rotate the books once a month. Still stop off books that don't move at other boxes.

One thing I have noticed is that boxes outside homes are usually kept up. Boxes in parks, at pools, etc are sometimes neglected. One has a little sign that it was a scout project. I'm guessing that young person is long gone and no one is really the steward of the box anymore.

Sorry, still drop off books in other boxes.

What?

The person was fixing a typo from their previous post one minute earlier.