Considering starting a ‘Little Free Library’

I love books. In fact, I think I have a book problem. See, I buy books almost compulsively. I have stacks and stacks of them. I plan to read them all, but instead of reading one before buying another, I tend to hoard books.

Maybe I need an intervention.

Of course, the real problem occurs after I finish reading a book. What do I do with it then? I could try to sell it to a used bookstore, but they pay pennies on the dollar. Not that I want to make a fortune on reselling my used books, but it doesn’t seem like the best plan of action when I probably spend more money driving the books to a bookstore than I will receive from their sale.

I could donate them to a local library, or I could simply take them to my classroom and create a library of my own for my students . . . all of these are plausible ideas.

However, I wanted to spread the books I love so much to as many as possible. I want to reach a wider audience. Then I came across www.littlefreelibrary.org. Here is the description of what it is, according to the Wikipedia.org entry:

a nonprofit community movement in the United States and worldwide that offers free books housed in small containers to members of the local community. It was founded inHudson, Wisconsin. The idea was conceived by Todd Bol as a tribute to his mother, who was a book lover and school teacher. He mounted a wooden container designed to look like a school house on a post on his lawn. Bol shared his idea with his partner Rick Brooks who found many efficient ways to spread the word, and the idea spread rapidly. Library owners can create their own library box, usually about the size of a doll house, or purchase one from the website. Libraries may be registered and assigned a number at the organization’s website. Libraries can be found through their GPS coordinates. Owners receive a sign that reads “Little Free Library”. They often have the phrase, “Take a Book. Leave a Book.”

Basically, you set up a box — in front of your house or somewhere else where you have permission — and you put books in it. People are able and encouraged to stop by and take a book, leave a book or do both. It becomes a community drop point for sharing books and the love of reading.

I like this idea. I think I might even do it. However, I’m caught up on whether or not to buy a Little Free Library or make one . . . maybe have the local high school, wood shop students make it, even.

What do you think? Should I do this? Would it be a good idea and a way to solve my book problem? Let me know in the comments. Please.

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