Those little free libraries
and art galleries and more...
I love little free libraries. I have helped myself to all kinds of books over the years and have contributed just as many titles as I have taken. [Ever since I did a MAJOR cull of my MASSIVE library I’ve been trying to stick to the ‘one in, one out’ rule. Tough love.]
Whether they are hefty (this one looked a bit like a repurposed rabbit hut) or tiny…
… I find it hard to make myself walk past without having a quick browse.
This one was made from a repurposed phone booth (an excellent use of an obsolete structure, if you ask me). We stumbled across a terrific one in Germany in a tiny village where the walls of the local bus shelter were lined with books. Where better to find readers in need of material?
Today while I was out on my bike I noticed a new (to me) little library in a back alley in town. But what made me smile (I’m on a mission at the moment to take note of moments of smilitude) was the Dog Library adjacent to the human library.
Conveniently placed at nose height was a pile of sticks and a sign (for owners not smart enough to figure it out) saying, Take a stick. Leave a stick.
Spotting the stick exchange, I was reminded of a post by one of my favourite urban sketchers and fellow Lamy-lover, Nishant Jain and the contributions he makes to little libraries.
If you’d like to follow Nishant (aka The Sneaky Artist) here on Substack, here you go:
Speaking of art, how about a little free art gallery?
I LOVE this idea so much! I don’t think we have one of those in town - yet.
Or, what about a Little Free ZINE-brary? Just think how many zines you could pack into even the most diminutive of little library boxes!
My bike-ride-induced online-searching has turned up a Facebook group dedicated to locating and mapping all the Little Free Lending Libraries here in the Bow Valley. What a great idea… And, yes - a worthy project with which to get involved!
What else have you seen offered up for sharing in similar boxes? Even better, post a photo (or a sketch) of a favourite micro-sharing location in the comments of the Chat to which I will cross-post this Stack.
Happy borrowing! (or lending, as the case may be…)
love yr sketches!
Wonderful post. Thank you!