Anonymous wrote:This is the first time Ive heard of a little free library. Are they really that popular? How do they work? Is it mainly children’s books?

Here is a link to the Little Free Library nonprofit. https://littlefreelibrary.org

Yes, they are very popular in some areas. I can literally walk to 4 within 2 blocks. I can probably get to about 10 taking a 20 minute walk. Although, I just looked on the official LFL map and most of them don't show up. So, it seems there are unofficial LFLs also. (There are some really cool ones if you do a google search for unique LFLs or see this page: https://littlefreelibrary.org/57-jaw-dropping-libraries/). Also, people are now branching out. You can find free little art libraries and someone started one for puzzles that I know of.

There are areas where there are no LFLs. I have traveled to other states to visit relatives and don't remember seeing a single LFL anywhere.

It is not mainly children's books. Probably depends on the area but this is a complaint my kids always had that no one ever put kids books in them. Former neighbors started one and had similar age kids and still rarely any kids books.

The purpose is to circulate books. People go to a LFL near them to take a book and leave a book. The LFLs near me are always full so no one worries about taking a book if they don't have one to leave at that moment. A lot of people restock the LFLs when they clean off a bookshelf. Others stick with the take one/leave one system. But, that is pretty much it. People build a little box, add books, and it mostly takes care of itself. As others have said, sometimes people put old books no one wants or pamphlets but at least near me the system works well as far as I can tell - as someone who takes and leaves books (I haven't put one up myself because there are so many nearby already).

I always have some books in my car and I refill the LFLs I find. I am a self-proclaimed book rescuer.

If I see a LFL that is filled with trash and pamphlets - I will clean it out and refill with books.

Where do I get my books? I have a large collection of books at home that I have bought, and also, I get books from the homes of relatives, neighbors, friends who are downsizing. I curate the books as well. For example, I will put children's books near playgrounds, classics near schools, guides to identify birds/animals/plants/bugs near parks and trails.

I have a little free library in the corner of my yard that is along a walking trail. Even in this weather there are multiple people a day who stop by and take or leave books. I do clean it out periodically for pamphlets/trash/books that linger too long.

Children’s books are taken right away, but adult books tend to linger.

There are posters on this thread who have an inexplicable level of negativity toward LFLs. How can people object to books and reading and community? I don’t get it.

Anonymous wrote:Liability - people can get hurt on your property. Parent complain about LFL giving their kid splinters, or the door squeezed their fingers. Or they object to the reading material as inappropriate. And on and on.

Targeted - LFL have all kinds of junk dumped on them. Old textbooks, religious pamphlets, political materials. And LFL owners tend to be liberal (I say tend to be, but that's putting it mildly. In reality I don't know a single conservative/Republican LFL owner.). So your LFL could be targeted by conservatives. Not to mention old fashioned teen vandals.

How would someone know somebody’s political affiliation? Unless you have it painted or advertised as a political little free library it makes no sense.

I think, at least in my neighborhood, there are many LFL, in one case there are two on the same street about two or three blocks away. It was or is trendy and maybe the trend is starting to fade. But I haven’t seen any taken down in my neighborhood yet.

I would not want something that attracts strangers to my property. It's more appropriate for say a public school or a shopping centre.

LFL owner here. Not a liberal, no rainbow flag, no “hate has no home here and we believe in science” virtue signs. We just love books, love our neighbors and walkable neighborhood, and love the sharing/reusing concept. It does take some maintenance — in both cleaning and curating. And once someone dropped off a TON of romance novels. We aren’t a donation station! Just bring 1 or 2 books, folks. My kids love LFLs (even as teens) and always have to stop if we see one. In the warmer months we came across one in the Fairfax City vicinity with some questionable content. I’d hate to think this was deliberate on the part of the owner, but one never knows. 😳 Check your holdings frequently, fellow LFL owners… Oh - and we keep ours off the registry: local traffic only.

That is strange LFL owners have that reputation.

There were 2 LFLs that used to be stocked with quality children’s books. I wish I knew the nice people who would put such books there. Now it’s only junky leftover books.

My kid opened one up and there was a big spider in one. Never again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not taking mine down but we honestly don't get enough foot traffic for it to work.

So what's the point?

Virtue signaling. It’s been a dumb trend since their inception. Bunch of NPR listening bots.

Anonymous wrote:I have one and have zero issues. My neighbors compliment it all the time. I will say every few months there is a post on this site complaining about little free libraries. It is weird. Don’t like them, don’t visit them. They aren’t hurting anyone.

They very quickly became symbols. If you see one, you know the owners are super progressive left wing people. Free library, rainbow flag, in this house we believe signs.

I glanced at a few but they were always filled with rubbish old books. There's fewer readers these days. I do imagine most will quietly disappear as houses are sold and new owners remove them, as happened in my area. I think we are down to one.

Its time to let them go, take it down.

Anonymous wrote:This is the first time Ive heard of a little free library. Are they really that popular? How do they work? Is it mainly children’s books?

Mainly trash.

I have one and have zero issues. My neighbors compliment it all the time. I will say every few months there is a post on this site complaining about little free libraries. It is weird. Don’t like them, don’t visit them. They aren’t hurting anyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NW DC near a metro. We are overrun with little free libraries. None require anyone to step onto personal property. They are all set at the edge so you just stop on the sidewalk and look at the books. I have not heard of anyone taking theirs down. While clearly some people put that should be recycled in them, overall they are well maintained and I have never heard of anyone having any issues with them.

Arlington and 100% same experience. Zero issues.

I think it's different if you're in a liberal area with lots of LFL. Different if you're in a more mixed area with few LFL. My neighborhood only has 3 that I can think of in a mile radius.