My Little Free Library is Finally Installed!
[image description: My Little Free Library, painted bright blue, standing on a post in front of my house.]
About 3 years ago, my now-husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I tend to buy myself things I want, so I never know what to tell people when they ask me. But this time, I remembered that my soon-to-be father-in-law had a woodshop in his garage and there was something I wanted that I lacked the skills to make myself.
“I want a Little Free Library,” I said.
At the time, we didn’t even know where we’d put a Little Free Library because we didn’t own a house yet. We’d started looking, but there were no guarantees. I didn’t care, I wanted one anyway. Worst case scenario, it’d sit unused for a few years until we were ready for it.
My father-in-law is a hobbyist woodworker and everything my husband knows he learned from him and YouTube. It turns out that even the simplest-appearing contraptions take more engineering prowess than any of us anticipated. Can we just bury the post or should we pour concrete in the ground to hold it up? What if we move houses and want to take the library with us? What if someone doesn’t shut the door and rain gets in? How far does the city’s right-of-way extend into the yard? How tall should we make it if we want kids to be able to access it but don’t want to make adults crouch? How can we ensure the roof is sealed properly so the books don’t get soaked in a storm?
Figuring all that out was a series of learn-as-you-go lessons. Before we landed on the current Little Free Library, we father-in-law built a prototype that I’ll lovingly call Fucking Huge Free Library, which was like a massive dollhouse. I had to awkwardly break it to him that we couldn’t put up a Little Free Library that large because no one would be able to see the house. (Don’t worry, the dollhouse didn’t go to waste. My in-laws put it on their back porch to hold their grilling and picnicking supplies.)
The experience gave me a newfound respect for construction workers. And at last, 3 years and one prototype later, we have a Little Free Library.
Though my husband and father-in-law did the majority of the work, I helped with the painting, caulking, and pouring concrete into the barrel planter that’s holding the post. Of course, I helped with filling it full of books. Mr. Off the Beaten Shelf encouraged me to leave some room for the neighbors to contribute books, but I was too excited to leave empty space. I actually have a whole stack of books waiting to go in as soon as some space clears out!
An especially rewarding part of installing the Little Free Library is that while we were putting it up, our neighbors came out to watch (from a safe distance) and expressed their excitement. While it’s not like we would’ve taken it down had someone been pissed, it’s nice to have the support. I’ve been enjoying watching people walk down the street and stop to investigate.
I don’t think Little Free Libraries are the solution to any literacy problems in a community, though I do think they’re a fun way to connect book lovers in a community. I’ll keep you posted on what comes and goes!
