Little Free Libraries are community sharing hubs where you can take or leave free items. While they began with books, today you might find everything from seeds and plants to food, toys, or even sticks for dogs.
If you’re interested in ecological gardening but worry about pushback, How to Grow a Pollinator-Friendly Front Garden Without Freaking Out Your Neighbors has helpful tips.
Little Library Design Ideas
Some images in this article are from the book
Little Free Libraries and Tiny Sheds: 12 Miniature Structures You Can Build
and appear with permission from Quarto Publishing Group.
Little Libraries For All Ages
Fun contrast between the adult library and the quirky one for kids:
If you’re planning to put one in your front yard, make sure you place it on your lot and not on city property. That’s the top reason these boxes get removed.
This kit on Amazon is similar to the one picture above:
- Little Free Library KIT | Amazon
If you want to build one from scratch, look for used cabinets with doors at thrift shops and add details like a slanted roof and mounting post.
More Little Library Ideas
These are just a few of the little free libraries I have seen in the wild!
For more design ideas, search “little free library” on Pinterest or Google.
While these examples have books, the whole concept has expanded to an array of items:
- surplus garden harvests and non-perishable food items
- toys
- board games
- garden seeds
- seedlings
- sticks for dogs
And the funniest one yet: take a stone, leave a stone!
It’s another unique way to help foster community.
Resources
Little Free Libraries & Tiny Sheds includes building plans for 12 miniature structures and oodles of photos of little free libraries from around the world. There is also sound advice for running your own little library, to help ensure success.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
