The elaborate black mailbox down the street caught my eye as I drove past on the way to work. One day, I decided to pull over on the way home and take a closer look. It wasn’t a mailbox at all, but a “Little Free Library” filled with books. According to the sign on the box, I could take and read any of the books without even checking them out. No library card required, just a note encouraging me to bring it back or donate a book or two of my own.
I pulled out a giant paperback copy of Stephen King’s “Under the Dome” sci-fi novel which was taking up a large portion of the box. I flipped to the back cover to see if it would suck me in enough to commit to reading this monster. But then I realized I was under no deadlines, there would be no late fees or other patrons waiting to read this book. It didn’t even matter if it took me two years to get through it. If I didn’t like it, I could just bring it back to the box. I plopped it on the front seat of my car and sped home with my treasure.
I looked through my own books to see if there was something I could let go of and donate to the box. Getting rid of books feels a little like saying goodbye to a friend, so I tend to keep them until my shelves get too full. As I scanned the spines, I found a few I had loved but already read a couple of times. I pulled them off the shelf and drove back, placing them in the big open space left by Stephen King’s book.
On the drive back home, I felt a little giddy, wondering if a neighbor would walk by and see one of my donated books and think, “Wow, I always meant to read the ‘The Shipping News’ and there it is, right in this box waiting for me!” I imagined them going home to rummage through their own shelves, dropping off a book they thought someone else might like to read. It was fun to think how many people might pick up and read the book I dropped off.
The Little Free Library has a website: littlefreelibrary.org. Turns out there are over 32 of them just in our quad city community. There’s probably one down the road from you. Put in your zip code, take a short walk with the dog, and discover what your neighbors are donating for your reading pleasure.
Recently, I had the honor of helping longtime Daily Courier columnist Ron Barnes assemble his favorite columns into a book now available on Amazon. It’s called “Best of Barnes: Granddaddyisms, Wit and Wisdom.” Search for “Best of Barnes” on Amazon and it will pop right up. All proceeds from the book go to the Ron and Betsy Barnes Youth Scholarship Foundation, supporting young people in our community.
Ron’s beloved wife Betsy was a librarian and I suspect she would appreciate what the Little Free Library folks are doing to get books out into the world. Sharing a book with a friend is like sharing a little piece of yourself, which is why I’m going to put a few autographed copies of “Best of Barnes” in Little Free Library boxes this week in honor of Ron and Betsy and all they’ve done for our community. If you discover one and take it home, you’ll find a secret note from me somewhere inside the book. Follow the instructions and I’ll share what happens in a future column. Or buy a copy of “Best of Barnes” online, read it, and pass it along to someone else to enjoy. You’ll win either way!