Feast your eyes on our redesigned Little Free Library.
Thanks to the extraordinary talents of artist Donna Pierre, Our Little Free Library is now a work of art.
My friend Nick Timmerman built our library in January, 2014. He used reclaimed materials, then added a small light connected to our low voltage landscape lighting. What a gem!
Although the box remains structurally sound, it took a bit of a beating with the sun shining down on it day after day. This year’s rains exposed a small leak, and with that I knew it needed a bit of TLC.
Somehow, that “TLC” morphed into a magical, whimsical, fantastical library. (Click on individual photos for a closer look)
Our Little Free Library or LFL has been a joy from the start. I love the whole concept of a book exchanges on sidewalks, country roads, inside coffee houses and in neighborhood parks. As of November 2016,
there are over 50,000 registered Little Free Library book exchanges in all 50 U.S. states and over 70 countries around the world. – source LittleFreeLibrary.org
How’s that for exciting? The idea of linking people with books and communities with tiny libraries is both simple and profound. It’s such an honor to be a part of it.
In the early days of the library, I went searching for books. I asked friends and neighbors and occasionally searched our local thrift stores when children’s books were in short supply.
Then the magic happened.
- Bloggers from around the world sent special books for the Little Free Library debut. Books arrived from Anne in Australia, Kelly in Canada and Julia from the state of Virginia. Pauline and Ann who are also artists, sent me a supply of bookmarks.
- My friend Barbara bought three large bins of children’s books at a garage sale and donated them to our library.
- When our neighbor Bernice moved house, she called and offered me several boxes of children’s books for a variety of ages.
- A neighbor a few blocks over regularly stops by and tidies the library. She leaves bags of books on my doorstep from Friends of the Library sales.
- My friend Kristi sent several books via Amazon in honor of our friendship and in memory of her Aunt Vicki.
- And twice in recent months, a neighbor I’ve never met pulled up to the curb and offered me several bags of children books.
- Just last week I received a box of books from Marlene at In Search of it All.
It’s also fun watching the books come and go organically. The Little Free Library motto is take a book, give a book and it works.
Here’s another gallery of photos showing Donna at work.
A big thank you to Donna for sharing her talents. You can see more of her work here and here.
Gardening Nirvana 