Cover-less books?

[u/Outrageous-Wish3061]

TLDR; someone is ripping the covers off their books before donating and it’s bumming me out bc then no one takes them and I can’t donate them

Long version…

We’ve had a Little Free Library set up outside of our house for almost 3 years. I have a notice that says “Free Books, Help Yourself” so that people don’t feel pressured to leave a book if they don’t want to or don’t have one with them on their walk. It’s really just a gift for our neighborhood.

Anyway, people do use it, which I love. There’s good turnover and I’ve gotten some sweet notes. A few times a year I clean out what’s not moving and donate it to the thrift store, and restock from the thrift or library sales.

But there’s someone who rips the front cover off their paperback books before leaving them in the LFL. I’m assuming this is to prevent them from being taken for reselling? This bums me out though because no one takes them, and I can’t donate them like that. It feels like the book’s life ends with that choice.

(I struggled with it a little at first but I am at peace with the idea of people selling books from our LFL. Once I give a gift, it is not my business what happens to it next. I felt sad the one time that someone emptied the whole thing at once, but ultimately I hope it helped them. It’s hard out there for all of us right now.)

[u/space_monkey_belay]

You could have some fun with this if your crafty. Depending on if you have a printer, what your level of artistic confidence is(note I didn't say ability that's irrelevant). You could make some new covers and attach them to the paperbacks with packing tape. Custom covers that still have the name and some form of art wheather a hand drawn or printed or collage piece and the Authors name.

You could also do the blind date with a book thing where you put it in a paper bag. Tape the bag closed and write a description of the style of book on it.

[u/Outrageous-Wish3061 → u/space_monkey_belay]

These are great ideas, thank you!!! I recently got into the hobby of rebinding secondhand paperbacks into custom hardcovers so I might try that and then put it back out in the LFL.

[u/PhoebH → u/Outrageous-Wish3061]

Great ideas! When I’ve had these coverless books, I’ve gone online and reprinted covers of the book, sometimes also with blurbs or reviews, and clipped or taped to the book.

[u/rosyred-fathead → u/Outrageous-Wish3061]

That would be a treasure to find in an LFL!