Telephone box library

[SuburbanSteve]

Saw this while I was surfing and thought it was such a good idea for keeping and using the iconic British phone box, after googleing I noticed that a few countries were doing the same thing, hopefully it will catch on.

[carpetmojo]

'Till the shelves get cleared one Saturday night after the pubs close .....

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by SuburbanSteve

Looks a bit cramped. They should use Police Boxes - they're much bigger on the inside.

[Rich_D]

There's a small movement trending across the US called "Little Free Library". People are putting up small boxes in their yards or other public places with the idea of take-a-book, leave-a-book.

There have been several news articles about it recently.

http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...oks/53260328/1
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...square-646153/

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Rich_D

There's a small movement trending across the US called "Little Free Library". People are putting up small boxes in their yards or other public places with the idea of take-a-book, leave-a-book.

There have been several news articles about it recently.

http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...oks/53260328/1
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...square-646153/

Have there been any problems with theft or vandalism?

[steven522]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Have there been any problems with theft or vandalism?

From personal experience of attempting to support local libraries during their "friends" book sales and finding out out that there were no good books left after local used book store owners cleaned them out in order to resell the 25 and 50 cent purchases at their own stores for much more, I would think these would be pretty much emptied out as fast as someone tried to leave something for others in my area.

[Rich_D]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Have there been any problems with theft or vandalism?

Well, theft isn't an issue because you are essentially putting the books out there for people to take.

According to the website, they've had 1 incident of vandalism in the past year.

[steven522]

Originally Posted by Rich_D

Well, theft isn't an issue because you are essentially putting the books out there for people to take.

If the idea is "leave one, take one", does everyone who "takes" also "leave"?

[Rich_D]

Originally Posted by steven522

If the idea is "leave one, take one", does everyone who "takes" also "leave"?

I have no personal experience with these. All I can say is if you are interested, click the links.

Follow up quote from the PG article

"The couple placed the library -- a waterproof wooden house set atop a post, complete with a red roof, glass door and two shelves with about 25 books inside -- outside their home in early June.

Then they watched as dog walkers, stroller pushers, runners, bike riders and even people in cars discovered the box. A month and a half later, the original books are gone, and the library has been getting a regular rotation of new reads."

[SuburbanSteve]

Now our local library has closed some of the larger supermarkets and stores have made available a small area near the checkouts where you can leave, take or exchange books and judging by the amount and variety it seems to be working well

[ebusinesstutor]

A local coffee shop does this. A shelf where you can take or leave a book. No idea how popular it is.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by steven522

If the idea is "leave one, take one", does everyone who "takes" also "leave"?

There were a couple of book exchanges I used to use, over a 10 year period there were always plenty of books there, so at least some people were leaving them (and I used to leave more books than I took).

[Fluribus]

My cane broke. I fell down and smashed my mobile phone. As I sank into delirium I saw my salvation...a telephone box. I crawled for three blocks. I opened the door. I looked up to see a massive hardcover dropping onto my head. When I woke up I found a note beside me. "Wanted to help but couldn't find anywhere to change. Regards. C. Kent."

It is interesting to see one piece of technology being replaced by an even older one.

[MikeB1972]

A lot of pubs used to do this in the UK, not so many now.

[sadievan]

Originally Posted by Fluribus

My cane broke. I fell down and smashed my mobile phone. As I sank into delirium I saw my salvation...a telephone box. I crawled for three blocks. I opened the door. I looked up to see a massive hardcover dropping onto my head. When I woke up I found a note beside me. "Wanted to help but couldn't find anywhere to change. Regards. C. Kent."

I was just thinking, Oh, No, where will Superman go.

Great minds and all. LOL I guess we're giving away our age.

Carol