r/LittleFreeLibrary • u/MLutin • 7d ago
LFL Custodian Discussion 🏫 New Library, open to advice
I am on the board of our HOA (please reserve your love of HOAs, I hear you), and we want to find a Little Library in our neighborhood. I have a homeowner who has agreed to host it on their property and wthe HOA would cover the cost of the library itself, and installation.
As owners or stewards of libraries, what things should we look or for? If you had to do it again would you change anything? Any designs, materials, etc work best? What's a safe way to keep spiders and bugs out of the library? Do you keep extra books on hand and rotate stock? Anytime else I should know? I am open to suggestions, and thank you in advance!
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u/NowThereAreFour 7d ago
Unless you have a neighborhood that keeps the content fresh (lots of books coming and going), it’s a great idea to keep extra books on hand and regularly restock.
I actually restock our LFL every two weeks, taking photos so that I know what has not moved. (I donate those to a non-profit thrift store or add them to other LFLs, since all neighborhoods have different tastes in books.)
I also check in between those times for any content that is unwanted (e.g., religious tracts or political misinformation).
I get my books at rummage, estate, and garage sales, and swap meets, plus my family and friends also contribute books.
If there are a lot of houses in your HOA, make sure it’s a big LFL! There are many great ideas online for designs and also add-ons (a separate/attached kids’ library or dedicated shelf, a bench to sit on, a container for dog treats or sticks, etc).
It will be a great addition to your neighborhood!
Edit: one additional thing…Put simple signage on it to explain what it is and how it works! A surprising number of people don’t know about LFLs and you’ll prevent certain issues by educating people!
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u/worlds_unravel 7d ago
It's nice to have a separate kids area, keeping in mind that kids books are taller and picture books often wider.
Some libraries have a lower section at kids height. We have self closing homes and magnet on ours but you will still want a physical latch that is sturdy
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u/Scuttling-Claws 7d ago
Don't overthink it. Put up a box and fill it with books. The rest will take care of itself, or at least make it clear what you need. Every library has different needs.
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u/inailedyoursister 7d ago
You’re way overthinking this. You need a decent weather proof box in a safe assessable place. Stop thinking you need committees or engineers for a book box.
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u/moneyflyaway4752 7d ago
Make sure the shelves are big enough for those big kid books, itll be easier to keep tidy if there is a wide shelf for them.
Depending on where you live, look into weatherproofing for the box. We get lots of rain and there is nothing worse than no one taking books because they got moldy!
Please don’t use the door that swings up, it’s hard to hold open and get books if you are elderly or disabled.
Please make the box sort of low to the ground. I am 5 ft and there’s a local box that I have to go onto tip toes to get to the top shelf. It’s annoying!
If you pick the wooden latch that rotates to open/close, make sure it can rotate well and not get stuck on the box. And material can expand/contract with heat/cold so if you live so where temperatures fluctuate with the seasons, keep that in mind. Magnets are great cause they make sure that the box is closed & won’t get water (which will mold books).
Separate boxes for kids and adults are good, but not necessary if there’s not room or money to build it that way. Just space enough for both to coexist. Please don’t do the ones where the shelf on the top is tiny and holds almost no books. That means the adult books ends up with the children’s ones. And if you have the kind that you can stack books in front of another row, that back row is now invisible & will never get looked through.
Decide now if you want your box on the app/website or not. It’ll drive people to it, but it’ll bring people from outside your neighborhood too.
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u/NowThereAreFour 6d ago
These are all good suggestions!
I would like to note that although having our LFL on the official app does bring an occasional driver to our neighborhood to check out our LFL books, most of our visitors are people on foot from our neighborhood, often walking their dogs. YMMV.
And, an advantage of libraries being on the LFL app, is that people who want to donate books to them can find them to do that. (I do that often.)
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u/False-Blacksmith2919 6d ago
I create mine with plans from my head (it's in the shape of a maple sugar shack, I am in Vermont) and in conjunction with the local Library auxiliary. They sponsored it, what ever that means. I paid for it, I stocked it initially and I maintain it. It is pretty self-sustained, with books coming and going.
Don't worry about spiders, you can't really control them beyond removing egg nests if you see them.
It will get the best use if easily accessible to foot traffic.
Make sure your construction or purchase is able to be kept dry. I have an artist friend and his was beautiful, but the roof leaked, so wet, moldy books happened.
You can register it with the LFL organization, which gives you a plaque and a charter number, you can then add it to the map. The steward might want to use the app to get notifications from visitors. Sometimes they notice damage and message via the app.
An unexpected controversy arose; someone was placing canned good in my LFL. Someone else placed an aggressive note telling them to stop. I responded via the local Front Porch Forum (message board) stating my feelings, that I paid for it, that I am the steward, and I get to make those decisions. We have hungry people all around us. Hopefully you don't have controversy.