Using books to build community

fjtorres · 03-10-2012, 02:12 PM

Little Free Libraries spotlighted at MSNBC:

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/_n...uild-community

Quote:

Three years ago Todd Bol came up with an idea to remember his mother, a teacher who had loved books and encouraged people to read. At his home in Hudson, Wisc., he built a box, made it waterproof and filled it with books. It looked like a miniature one-room schoolhouse, with a sign underneath that said “Free Book Exchange.” Bol put it on a post outside of his house and invited neighbors to take a book, and return a book.

carpetmojo · 03-10-2012, 03:00 PM

This is quite an established idea here, but without quite the "infrastructure" - I remember a few around in local shops,when I was but a lad, and our greengrocer has a help yourself bin on exactly the same principle today, and a few charity shops do it, as well as hospitals - and the Penzance YMCA !

Bookworm_Girl · 03-12-2012, 02:54 AM

Neat idea! I have seen something similar in coffee shops and in workplaces. You'd never be able to put it outside someone's house where I live (too many community association rules).

carpetmojo · 03-12-2012, 05:17 AM

And, sad to say, the "community" might simply think "FREE BOOKS ! YAY !!" and forget the replacement factor - or am I being too cynical ....

No, probably not....

ignacio ferrer · 03-12-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

And, sad to say, the "community" might simply think "FREE BOOKS ! YAY !!" and forget the replacement factor - or am I being too cynical ....

No, probably not....

The idea is well established in major german cities.
There is no replacement requirement necessary. Many people who owne many books and wanted to get rid of them, bring them here instead of simply throwing them away.
Many people taking the books normally don't come in touch with books.
So for some it is give, for some take, and for some give and take - works quite well - apart from vandalism, that is ...

RDaneel54 · 03-12-2012, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Little Free Libraries spotlighted at MSNBC:

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/_n...uild-community

I saw this on NBC news. I think it is a grand idea. Unfortunately, for me, I live in a condo community which would not allow this in front of my condo.

However, on the plus side, we have a large library room in our condo community house with hundreds of books. Well run and all volunteer. These type of mini-libraries can be a benefit to the community.

Dean

QuantumIguana · 03-13-2012, 03:20 PM

Book exchanges are great. If some people take books without donating books, that's really not a problem, there are going to be plenty of people looking to get rid of books. I can't stand the idea of throwing away books, when I don't need them anymore, I'll donate them where ever I can. That being said, you may have to thin the stacks of the book exchange now and then. The very best books probably aren't going there - some books are keepers - and if no one wants it, it might as well not take up shelf space. Like a book on Windows 95, probably no one is going to want that. Vandalism is potentially a problem. You would like to have this where anyone can get at it whenever they want, but some people will destroy anything.

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03-10-2012, 03:00 PM	#2
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	This is quite an established idea here, but without quite the "infrastructure" - I remember a few around in local shops,when I was but a lad, and our greengrocer has a help yourself bin on exactly the same principle today, and a few charity shops do it, as well as hospitals - and the Penzance YMCA !

03-12-2012, 02:54 AM	#3
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Neat idea! I have seen something similar in coffee shops and in workplaces. You'd never be able to put it outside someone's house where I live (too many community association rules).

03-12-2012, 05:17 AM	#4
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	And, sad to say, the "community" might simply think "FREE BOOKS ! YAY !!" and forget the replacement factor - or am I being too cynical .... No, probably not....

03-13-2012, 03:20 PM	#7
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	Book exchanges are great. If some people take books without donating books, that's really not a problem, there are going to be plenty of people looking to get rid of books. I can't stand the idea of throwing away books, when I don't need them anymore, I'll donate them where ever I can. That being said, you may have to thin the stacks of the book exchange now and then. The very best books probably aren't going there - some books are keepers - and if no one wants it, it might as well not take up shelf space. Like a book on Windows 95, probably no one is going to want that. Vandalism is potentially a problem. You would like to have this where anyone can get at it whenever they want, but some people will destroy anything.

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