How to Build Your Very Own Little Free Library: 11 Mini Structures You Can Build

Project designer Schmidt (The Complete Guide to Treehouses) provides an endearing guide to building Little Free Libraries, small public bookcases where people can leave and take books. There are 200,000 registered Little Free Libraries around the world, according to the nonprofit that promotes them, and some communities are adapting the cases to share more than just books, like food, clothes, and board games. The guide offers step-by-step instructions for building 11 free-standing structures, ranging from simple single-shelf boxes to multi-story cabinets. Schmidt covers the practical aspects of creating a mini library, like keeping in mind the sizes of the books that will be shared (children’s picture books, for instance, will need more space) as well as accessibility (some may want a short box kids can reach). The author goes into building basics, including the tools, wood, and paint crafters will need, and provides attractive variations on the traditional Little Free Library bookshelf, including a cobalt blue shed with a flower box on top and an adaptable “Give Box” where “anyone can put in anything they want (provided it fits in the box).” An enlightening final section explores how these libraries can combat book bans. This is a beneficial resource for book lovers and neighborhood organizers alike. Photos. (Sept.)