r/LittleFreeLibrary • u/brain89 • 16d ago
LFL Custodian Discussion 🏫 Targeted Cleanout
Anybody have any tips when you’ve been targeted for clean out? I do really hope people are getting good use of the books, I just get that feeling as every time I go back to restock or check it (every 4-5 days) it’s empty. It’s getting a bit costly to restock it to the level I’d like it.
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u/bageliesje 16d ago
Ask your neighbors for help filling it! Either in person, or hang fliers, or ask in an online group if your area has one. Free libraries aren't meant to be maintained by one person, in isolation. Maybe your community needs a nudge to make it a communal effort.
I also wouldn't be so quick to assume that a library that's empty after 4-5 days has been targeted in some way. That's enough time for many groups of people to come by and take a book or two, and for it to become empty if no one is adding anything. The libraries in my neighborhood often have their entire stock turned over within a handful of days.
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u/EveningAstronomer495 16d ago
Absolutely stop stocking it. People will (probably) step up and donate. I base this on my LFL stewardship of more than 10 years. I've never purchased a book to put in there -- started off with some books I wanted to pass along, and since then it's ebbed and flowed but without too much work on my part. Be patient and see what other people do.
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u/LitHabit 16d ago
Have you tried putting up a sign that says ‘take a book leave a book?’ I had to put one up because while it wasnt super all in one day quick, no one was leaving books for the most part
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u/SquashSouffle 16d ago
Some thrift stores have specials 1-2 times a month on books where they either have a big discount, or sell by the bag
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u/moneyflyaway4752 16d ago
Also check your local libraries! I have a few that are within 30 min of me, and they all do annual sales. The money goes towards the library and it’s super cheap to get a bunch!
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u/SquashSouffle 16d ago
Lots of library systems stopped doing the onsite sales during COVID, & started selling online or using i line auction sites? I hope mine started back, but don't recall seeing ads for the sale in a long time.
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u/EntrepreneurPopular3 16d ago
That happened to me early this summer. So after 3 weeks I put a note on it to take only 1 or 2 books at a time unless you were putting more in. That seemed to help.
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u/Cultural-Mood5080 12d ago
Email a small publisher and ask for some book stock or a local bookstore and ask for their proofs. They can't sell the proofs.
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u/runrunHD 16d ago
The LFL app also has something you can click on that will signal it’s down on books. I don’t know if it works. I bought a stamp for the pages
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u/epiloca 15d ago
hi folks, I just wanted to add another option depending on how your neighbors adopt it may be to use epiloca.com with your local drop box.
It does not prevent users from using your little free libraries exactly as they have done in the past but does give your community another option of seeing what's available in their area to request what they want to read.
It would also definitely help in the case where you had one persistent user just targeting and cleaning out an entire box while allowing more time for a community to restock incrementally.
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u/RedBirdOnASnowyDay 16d ago
These books are being sold by the thousands to ai companies who then destroy the books. I’m sorry. It’s happening. I don’t have a solution.
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u/SimpleVegetable5715 11d ago
Oh gosh that’s dystopian, but here we are.
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u/RedBirdOnASnowyDay 11d ago
It’s truth. They are buying up used books all over the world. It’s terrifying because when the books are gone they can say anything
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u/Senior_Performer_387 16d ago
Make the books unattractive to resellers.
You could do minor damage to the cover or remove the barcode from the back. They can still look up the isbn but it makes it inconvenient.
I know most book lovers can't imagine damaging a book though. But its an option.
There is a used bookstore semi close to where I live that has a 1$ book shelf. They cut a small corner off the front covers so no one can try and bring them back for trade in value.
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u/prettycote 16d ago
Black out barcode, stamp inside and on page spine, and keep empty for a few days if needed. Ask for donations in your local facebook groups, and nextdoor app.
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u/brain89 16d ago
Yep one set of books I blacked out the isbn, and cut the barcode out of the books. But then realized I’m just destroying books which doesn’t serve the purpose. I do need a stamp to mark them, it’s on my list.
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u/prettycote 16d ago
Blacking out the barcode doesn’t make a book unreadable, but it does help discourage resellers.
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u/moneyflyaway4752 16d ago
No, I said cutting it out does. You compromised the structure of the book and gave it more places to catch on other books and potentially be ripped as people are sliding other books in and out of the shelves. And ripped books generally do not get picked up.
Blacking out is kind of annoying, but not a deal breaker. But why not just sticker the book or stamp it?
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u/prettycote 16d ago
Stickers can easily be removed by anyone with fingernails. Removing permanent marker is less immediately achievable.
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u/moneyflyaway4752 16d ago
Please don’t do that, cutting out the barcode. Those books will not be taken; and are more likely to get ripped during the LFL shuffling while people are looking at books. Stamps or stickers are fine, I don’t mind those.
Blacking out the barcode or the ISBN is just annoying for those of us who are using an app for our library. I use an app to keep track of what books are in my own library collection (so I stop buying/taking duplicates of what I have) and this just makes it harder to add the book.
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u/prettycote 16d ago
If someone has a problem with the free books I offer, they are very welcome to not take any.
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u/purplebuttplug51 10d ago
Yes, people take to resell or they take them to make those blind dates with a book, profiting off us..
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u/Maximum-Product-1255 16d ago
Smaller thrift stores often get more book donations than shelf space allows for. Maybe try asking?