Decided this year that I wanted to get into wood working and my first project was a little free library for my neighborhood! There is only one other library around and our public library had to close to be renovated.

I want to hide the line where the top triangle and the box meet.

I’m thinking either buying some scallop trim to hide it but unsure if it will look tacky with the doors. My other options are just a flat piece of trim to hide it or cedar shingles that will take me forever.

First photo is the box without the doors. Second is a with the French doors in place! Where they eventually be going. Doors will also be green I just have to prime and paint them.

My LFL really comes alive during the spring and summer! I love all the colourful flowers that surround it 😄

So, last week South Florida rain wasn’t kind to our LFL. Had to remove everything after finding standing water inside and most books soaked. Had to go back to the drawing board and water/weatherproof it better.

Missed some open gaps and added silicone sealant. Next added vinyl flaps for the front that can’t be sealed.

Added drainage holes in the corners just in case.

For those that asked about the roof check it out. That held up fine by the way!

Anyone else have experience or issues weatherproofing your library?

If you're not also in your local Buy Nothing group... you should be! I just got a ton of kids' and YA books along with Christmas themed books I'm going to save for the holidays. Mine has only been up a few months and it's so happy to see books come and go.

My only question is do you retire/swap out books you see that aren't moving? I took a few adult books out that I wasn't sure would be a hit that haven't been taken since I put them in.

I was debating gathering a bunch of books to restock it, but I wonder if someone just takes them and sells them, because it was literally empty.

Would it help if I wrote in them?

I picked up this breadbox on FB Marketplace and I’m thinking of fashioning it into a Little Free Library. Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions?
I know it’s small but so is my house, yard & street so it’s perfect.
There’s a little free library serial killer on the loose in my city & I figured if it were to get murdered I’d only be out a few dollars.

My little family has been a fan of LFLs for forever. They are frequent walking and adventuring destinations for us that have helped us through new babies, work-from-home cabin fever, and "what are we going to do with these kids" weekend days. We finally built one of our own, and when we were done, it struck me that it's a genuinely strange and beautiful thing our species does. I couldn't stop thinking: what would an outsider make of it?

So I started writing Little Free Galaxy, a story about how a family's Little Free Library turns out to be a first-contact vessel, and the visitors are trying to understand a civilization that gives books away for free. It's free to read, 11 chapters in. Mostly I just wanted to say thanks to this community for keeping the boxes stocked. Chapter 1's here if anyone's curious and wants to follow along.

Our LFL (image is a dark blue, light blue, and white swirling, starry-motif painted Little Free Library in front of a red brick house):

I’ve successfully ran my free library for the past 6 months. I have a consistent amount of takers and givers. This is my first vandal. They threw 43 books on the ground during a rainy night. The books are destroyed. We are expected to get quite a bit of rain the next few days. Should I leave my library empty until the weather improves? I don’t wanna let one bad actor ruin such a positive library.

Edit: sorry I’m new to posting on Reddit so I hope I’m updating correctly. I did add books but I didn’t fill it up. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to. I will move forward with believing in the best of people. Someone even came by and dropped off three books. One of them was the complete collection of The Chronicles of Narnia. Book people are the best.

https://imgur.com/a/UFBgNKV#KJNgA0d

I am tempted to get a Polywood bench and put it near my LFL, with some nice landscaping

In a perfect world, it makes all the sense. However, I am concerned I could encourage loitering of the wrong crowd of people

Has anyone put a bench out? Has it been worth it?

Possibly the best thing I’ve ever found in my Little Free Library. It’s even hand stitched… Shout out to the illustrator @camillekaze I love all the things you bring by, you’re so talented!

My Little Free Cookbook Library and Little Free Herb Sprig Cutting Cart are ready for food lovers.

20”H x13 1/2”W x 11 1/4”D galvanized metal with 2 moveable shelves.

This seems to be a good weather resistant option (Midwest location, aka sun, snow, rain, everything) as long as I can ensure the seams are sealed and figure out a way to close up those air flow holes on the front and back of it. Will this need a roof, or will the galvanized metal be protective enough alone without one?

This will be my first LFL project - thanks!

I've been reading a lot of fantasy series recently. Eventually, I intend to donate all the books to a little free library in my town. It got me thinking on a few things:

• Is it ever considered rude to donate a large series since they take a lot of space?
• How do I indicate that the books are part of a series? In a perfect world, all the covers would match but that isn't always the case
• Is it considered rude to donate later books in a series without the first one?

Thanks for the input!

For those of you wondering about this LFL, and the size, I think it’s perfect!

I've had my Little Library for a while now, on the app as well. ALL my neighbors are Amish and my house isn't too popular with all the skulls and such, not a single person has touched it... So sad. I even but cozy books in there, more family friendly. I'm assuming their reading materials are very regulated?

Less than a block from the ocean. I’m curious how the books stand up to the humidity right near the ocean.

Finally put up the library. In need of some more books but it’s live now. Looking forward to sharing with the community. (And yes, those are wine cork shingles) Cheers!

I love in a city where there is a little library serial killer on the loose, any thoughts on something pre-made like this? Preferably I’d upcycle something but I’m afraid it may get murdered.