The Big Im-print of Little Free Libraries
Magical Portals of Giving and Engagement in Your Neighborhood!
Did you know that there are over 100,000 Little Free Libraries worldwide? I find these beautiful neighborhood mini-houses - filled with books - to be accessible, magical portals to #discovery #learning #literacy #curiosity #pleasure! With many schools and public libraries physically closed during the pandemic, these Little Free Libraries are more important than ever.
Check out LittleFreeLibrary.org which champions the Little Free Library movement. They've got a great tagline - "Building Community, Sparking Creativity, Inspiring Readers." Their "Impact Library Program" provides over 1,000 no-cost, stocked Little Free Libraries to book-scarce communities.
Beacons of Giving and Kindness in Your Community
Here’s a map detail tagging dozens of Little Free Libraries near my DC stomping grounds. For me, each red marker is a dynamic beacon encouraging random acts of kindness. Want to find the Little Free Libraries in your community or across the globe? Try the LittleFreeLibrary.org search tool.
Mini Architectural Tributes to our Creative spirit and whimsy!
Of course I love the unbound creativity in structure and decor! While well-read veterans happily browse, new or reluctant readers (of which I was one!), might need some aesthetic enticement to open that door. I found this Pinterest page to be truly inspirational. It's a great tribute to our playful, whimsical, creative human nature!
A Door to Unexpected Magic
When you open the door, you might find some unexpected magic! Some folks leave kind notes like this little girl, “Thank you for the book. Here is one of mine.”
A friend recently shared that she had placed a tiny artist-book she’d made (it’s a visual story of a seed’s journey to become an orchid) in a neighborhood Little Free Library. Can you imagine the delight of the person who opened the door and discovered that little treasure!?!
#givingisreceiving
#makekindnessthenorm
Pooling together
There’s also something wondrous about the creative, community act of taking producing a Little Free Library. In my Girl Scout Troop a few years back, Caroline and Kayla (pictured here) developed Little Free Libraries for their “Silver Award” Project. (The Silver Award is the highest award for scouts in middle school.) They had the fab idea of building these creative learning beacons at their neighborhood pools to promote summer reading. The scouts rocked it with community meetings, plans, carpentry, painting and book drives. It was wonderful to experience the positive troop energy from the project and to know that it would have a lasting impact.
Give a Little Free Library
Did you know that you can buy a Little Free Library and post, ready to install? It's just a click away, and no woodworking required (which was a deal-breaker for me)! Shop on Etsy for a handcrafted library, as well as great architectural accessories.
Here's a link to the "Insider's Guide to Starting a Little Free Library," with step-by-step instructions for getting started. I’m thinking it might be a great project to keep the positive, kindness energy flowing.