Little Free Library

The Little Free Library in Hollidaysburg.

One belief I always stand by is that you will never know enough about your community until you’ve walked every inch of it.

If someone tells you, “Yeah, I’ve been to Philly,” and goes on to say how he or she spent the whole time drinking in one bar, then chances are that person didn’t get to see everything the city has to offer.

I mention this because I found a captivating piece of work right here in Hollidaysburg, and unless I walked by it, I would’ve never known it existed.

I was on one of my routine walks through town. As I passed by one house, something caught my attention. If I didn’t turn around, I would’ve missed it.

Definitely a "Little" Free Library.

Sitting in a corner like a ninja in Johnstown was a wooden box with books in it. I didn’t know what to make of it at first. It wasn’t much taller than I was. It was sitting there, not on a street corner, but by someone’s house.

Then I noticed marker writing on the plastic roof of the box: “Little Free Library.”

Well, this is neat, I thought to myself. The owners of this house decided to build a little bookcase for people to borrow books. When I looked again, I saw the plaque providing a website name.

That’s when I realized this wasn’t just some random person who felt like being generous to Hollidaysburg. This was something bigger.

I put my curiosity to the side for a while since there were more pressing issues that day – such as if I wanted a tuna or peanut butter jelly sandwich for lunch.

A couple of weeks later, a few of us from the paper got together on the front porch of my apartment to have drinks. During discussion, the one reporter brought up how Hollidaysburg should have a Little Free Library.

I thought this was odd because I knew there was one just down the street from where I live. That was the second indication that these Little Free Libraries had more significance to them than I originally thought.

About a week ago, I made a trip to State College in search of the perfect hoody (I’ll explain another time.) I walked by a newspaper stand for The Centre County Gazette. I took one and looked at the front page. Sure enough, there to mock my procrastination was a story about a new Little Free Library opening at the Easterly Parkway Elementary School. What really got me was the quote in the story from the 6-year-old, Cecelia Corro, who cut the ceremonial ribbon.

“This makes my school even better,” she said in the story. “This will help students who don’t want to use something electronic or something that uses power. Reading just uses brain power.”

Hearing about a child promoting books and literacy is one of the best feelings in the world. This was the inspiration I needed to look into Little Free Libraries and write this post.

What I found on the website warmed my heart even more.

Little Free Libraries aren’t just some random wooden boxes popping up in Hollidaysburg or State College – it’s a global trend.

Little Free Libraries is an organization that has two core ideals, according to its website: “to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide,” and “to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.” Those are two philosophies I can stand by with ease.

What I didn’t realize was the concept of the Little Free Library has outlived everyone reading these words.

The organization’s figurehead, Lutie Stearns, delivered book boxes to more than 1,400 locations in Wisconsin between 1895 and 1914, according to the website.

What makes Stearns all the more admirable was her perseverance. She overcame a stuttering problem, which is likely a huge portion of why she came up with the idea. I can relate to her myself, since I was speech-delayed until about age 5 and having to receive speech therapy through a good portion of elementary school.

The website offers Little Free Library kits for sale so people can install one just about anywhere they wish within legal limits.

The one downside is the kits range in the hundreds of dollars, but I’m guessing this is where the community idea plays a big role. People can make donations through the website, and in most cases, I imagine groups collect money to buy one.

The Little Free Library in Erie.

The kits offered on the website, however, are quite impressive and vibrant. They range from Amish barns to British telephone booths. I saw one during a trip to Lake Erie that resembled a lighthouse. Unfortunately, it was not as well-maintained as the one in Hollidaysburg. It had few books to offer and was mostly filled with junk.

The one in Hollidaysburg is a little-aged and lacking color, but it’s the principle of the box that trumps its physical appeal.

What I should note is Hollidaysburg didn’t need one of these boxes in the first place. The borough has its own public library. It’s the community aspect, however, that makes the Little Free Library such a novel idea (no pun intended … okay, it was).

The Little Free Library in Hollidaysburg has a variety of books, ranging from biographies on Davy Crockett and Andrew Jackson to a field guide about birds. There’s not the selection you would have at a regular public library, but there are advantages.

This Little Free Library can fit only about
two dozen books at a time.

Most kids don’t have the patience to go through hundreds of books on shelves in a library, but hey, most adults don’t have the patience to go through hundreds of books, either. I get headaches walking out of Barnes & Noble unless I know for certain what book I want. Sometimes, a smaller selection goes a long way. Having too many options can be overwhelming.

Another benefit about the Little Free Library is you don’t need a membership to loan books from it.

One of the best things about the Little Free Library is it gives the patron a sense of charity. You can donate books without taking any in return. You know that your donation is helping a kid out there learn to read and learn a little more about the world. You’re helping children learn the concept of community and generosity. This seems like common sense, but many of these ideas are thrown away these days. Plus, you can tell a child about these concepts, but children are more hands-on and visual learners.

I write this post today not as an endorsement or an advertisement but to raise awareness. Instead, I want more people to know how great of an idea this truly is.

I wish I knew about these as a kid. I loved to read but never had the money to buy books. There was the public library in Mountain Top, but my parents had to drive me just so I could get there. If I had a Little Free Library that I was able to ride my bike to, then I would have had access to the books that I’m just now reading like Tom Sawyer or Moby Dick.

I also encourage people to donate to the cause. I plan to at some point, but I’m sure Lolita or Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf aren’t exactly “child-friendly.” I’ll donate when I get the chance to dig up some of my old children’s books.

You can find children’s books at yard sales for dirt-cheap. Buy a couple, find one of these Little Free Libraries near you and contribute.