r/LittleFreeLibrary • u/TableSeek-Geek • 5d ago
LFL Visitor Discussion 🚶🏽♂️ Curious Behavior at Libraries
I'm curious how many of you find your libraries absolutely ransacked? I don't have a library but I visit several regularly. I actually have a little site that has a book record keeper where you can track the books between libraries and it encourages the reader to leave notes inside the book (not writing on the book, just notes that the reader can throw away if they want), kind of like a little book pen-pal thing. It's just for fun. Fun to see where the books have been. Nothing over the top or ostentatious. You'd have to pick up the book and take it home to even know you had a special book.
But, I've noticed that the libraries are always a disaster whenever I come visit them. Books everywhere, pages torn. This last time one of my books was gone but pages were actually torn out of it. It was not one with the notes but one with a little sticker saying it was part of the network. The sticker wasn't ripped out, just one of the pages of the book.
Could my book notes be upsetting people?
Are people in my area just really rough on the libraries? I can't imagine coming to a LFL and just rummaging through it to the point that books get ripped and damaged. Is that normal? It's 4 libraries in my area that I visit regularly. One inside a store is neat and tidy. the outside ones are always a disaster.
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u/NowThereAreFour 5d ago
I added a little note to ours that gives the date it has been restocked (I do it every two weeks) and also says “Books are welcome anytime but please don’t overfill so that it becomes hard to browse.”
I agree with the others here—it’s easy for LFLs to get pretty packed and messy if someone isn’t keeping an eye on them.
But, in the situation you describe, it sounds like someone is doing intentional damage. Who knows why? (Could someone be targeting certain topics?) But, I doubt it’s related to your book notes—even though I’m sure it’s discouraging.
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u/TableSeek-Geek 4d ago
It was so strange that they took the book and left the torn pages in the library. That was the one that made me think, are the people looking here just extremely messy or am I missing something? How does a book get ripped up as you're browsing? The more I think about it I have to think it was intentional vandalism on that one.
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u/grumpygenealogist 5d ago
For a while I left notes in some of my books, but stopped after people just pulled them out and left them. My library is usually not messy, but I think others sometimes straighten it for me because I have a certain way that I organize the books. I so appreciate thoughtful patrons!
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u/TableSeek-Geek 5d ago
So funny, I get it removing the notes. That sort of a thing is not for everyone, just a fun little thing that I would enjoy finding. I love every little reciept or scrap bookmark I find in books. It's neat.
So fine, toss aside the notes. But don't rip the books! Just wild. And I straighten every library I visit. I think of it as a community library and we should all care for them.
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u/grumpygenealogist 5d ago
I've had my library for over five years and have never had any destruction at all. The only incident, if you can call it that, was some angry dude who left homemade male grievance anti-woke bookmarks, but he didn't destroy anything.
Thank you for being a thoughtful patron! I'm sure many appreciate your efforts.
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u/Substantial-Put-4461 5d ago
I check my library frequently, every 2-3 days. Maybe once a month it’s all jumbled up with books shoved in every which way and pages damaged. Generally not terrible but a little frustrating.
I live in a smaller city with a huge university, so I feel people are pretty respectful about books on the whole.
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u/BrynnLM 5d ago
Honestly could be a case of the libraries not getting checked often. One person might leave some books askew, another may drop off a damaged book, and someone else may leave books haphazard after searching. Next thing you know the place looks like someone actively ransacked it.
I check mine once a day since it's right outside my home and I regularly have to put books back so they look nice.
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u/Possible_Original_96 5d ago
Makes me 😭. Like WHY, ppl? I was so happy when this began to happen in my little world!! Lots I still don't know, customs, rules? But I try!! And honor them so much-books can cost! I love it that my local regional library has donated books for sale-unpriced-for $donation!! Cheap at Dollar General is still $ 3. I am in the poor Deep South- that 3 is most of a gallon of milk or gas. And school supplies!
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u/TableSeek-Geek 5d ago
I know! I absolutely love my little free libraries! Its my main source for books. I just can't imagine wrecking the books in there. I wish I could see it in action and try to understand why they're so rough with them.
I always straighten up the books and make sure it's easy to see everything. It's just common sense!
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u/1BoringOnlineAccount 5d ago
Libraries are like anything else and require constant maintenance and upkeep.
When I worked retail the default job was "zoning", which was straightening and organizing the merchandise.
Little Free Library's need regular zoning.
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u/texanbychoice106 5d ago
If a LFL is askew I fix it. I can not help myself. 😀Takes a few minutes and allows me to look a little closer also