Little Free Library Volunteering

[lydamorehouse]

 I did a fun thing today.

I found out through VolunteerMatch that Tropes & Trifles was looking for people to restock books in little free library "book deserts." So, this afternoon, I drove out, got my box of books, and set out with the Little Free Library app. 

I had never installed the LFL app before. I had lost the "confirm your email" email and so I wasn't able to take notes as I drove around (I have since rectified that) and so I mostly used the app for its ability to give me GPS directions to various LFL. I still have half a box yet to deliver. I'll try to remember to take pictures when I go out driving tomorrow!  

I'm now very tired, but what fun!

Comments

[profiterole_reads]

That's great! Doing some volunteering feels great in our currently mostly-sad world.

[hrj]

I hadn't previously thought about dropping books off at other people's LFLs. (There are half a dozen that I pass regularly on my bike rides, in addition to my own.) My original idea when installing a LFL was to use it to deaccession books, but they don't go out fast enough for that. Maybe I should keep a box of books next to my bike in the garage and toss a couple in the saddle bags when I know I'm going to be passing an opportunity.

[lydamorehouse]

My wife is the State Archivist of Minnesota so we also use our LFL "deaccession" our books and, in addition, carefully curate it. Shawn has some rule that goes, "If a book hasn't moved in X amount of time, it comes out of the library and into a bag for redistribution." We know, for instance, that our neighbors are looking for science fiction and fantasy, cookbooks, and books for SMALL children. So, if the Leon Uris brick-of-an-epic isn't moving, we take it out and try to find a neighborhood more aminable.

The little free library app (which I sort of recommend) let's you read what people have written about their LFLs. Some people, like us, have it right in the library's profile what they want. So, like, if you have a bunch of romances that your neighbors aren't reading you can go drop a few off here and there at the places that say that's what they're looking for.

It's really nice, actually. The app also will tell you where there are book deserts, and where people desperately need books. I unloaded a DOZEN books at the LFL in front of the hospital. Lots of people are looking for reading material while they wait on a loved one's procedure or appointment or whatever. That felt good, you know?

Anyway, good luck!

[lydamorehouse]

I know, right? All the things I can do feel SO SMALL, but I feel like I'm doing SOMETHING and that takes the edge of my anxiety.

[dreamshark]

It's a great activity to add to a bike ride, as long as you can resist the impulse to bring home more new books. At one point we had two or three overflowing Cub Food boxes of old SF magazines on our porch (inherited from local fan Denny Lien). I took a handful when I went out bike riding and my husband did the same thing on his nightly walks. The surprising thing was how popular the SF magazines were. My husband can only walk so far, so he was visiting the same LFLs over and over, and they were usually ready to take more each time. Anyway, almost all of that stash is gone now.

[dreamshark]

I have the LFL app but never realized there was an option for comments and notes! Now that biking season is back, I'll have to give it another look.

[carbonel]

There is a LFL (just a bookcase) just inside the door at Open Book (which is where the Weavers Guild of Minnesota is now, so I'm there fairly often) that I used to check every time I came by. And then the last two times it's been totally empty, so I'm wondering if someone took the entire contents. I have a bunch of paperbacks (mostly SF) that are surplus to my needs, but I worry that if I take them to the LFL, they'll just disappear the same way.

[lydamorehouse]

I will tell you, I have read old SFF magazines for fun, so I kind of get why they were popular!

And, yes, I fully agree. We also always have a box of giveaway books in our trunk in case we see a LFL in need.

[lydamorehouse]

People do steal books ocassionally. I don't know what to tell you. I mean, I just feel sad for the people who think they're going to make any money doing that. Books just aren't all that valueable, monetarily-speaking. We value them! But the going price is pennies on the dollar used. Lots of places are so full up they won't even buy used books.

But, it is awful when people clean the LFLs out.

For myself, I just whisper, "Whelp, good luck with that, friend," and refill the stock.