Okay, so I’ve taken only two whole days off this summer but one of them was already spent very well. Worldwide there are over 40.000 Little Free Library‘s (click to search in your country) but in Belgium they are not very widespread yet. But for once, luck was on my side and I found out there is not one but two of them close by. That called for a closer inspection.
The idea is very simple, for each book you take you put another in its place. For the CoHo lovers among us, I have even seen that she put some of her books in one of these.
Armed with a few books of my own I made my way and found this Cute Little Free Library (as they should name it). I don’t know what I was expecting, I tried not to have any big expectations, but I really didn’t think it would be this full.
It didn’t really have anything that I would really pick (it’s all in Dutch, a few in French and one in German so you don’t have to take too close of a look) but I wanted to take one with me no matter what so I took one from Nicci Gerard.
The first one:
This is the second one:
From the second one I took the book on the left from Jasmine Cresswell.
I love the concept! And now that I’ve seen these I so want one of these in my own front yard. Only problem is that I don’t really have a front yard, so I’ll have to figure that one out yet but I so so so so want one. I would probably look every few days if someone – a fellow book lover – has come by and left something ;-).
In case you are wondering, yes everybody can have a Little Free Library. Either you buy one on their site and then the registration plaque is already included in the price and your location added to their map. Or you build one yourself (there really are a lot of original ones out there) and just purchase their registration and you put it on the map yourself so others can find you.
Has anyone else ever exchanged books through a Little Free Library? Any thoughts?
The Belgian Reviewer 
This looked so amazing, but apparently Austria doesn’t have one 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
It might be an idea to have the first one and then let local news know 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds very intriguing, but I am not sure if am ready for such a well-conceived project yet, but I’ll definitely be thinking about it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow I didn’t know and I’m glady surprised that there are two in Madrid. I’m definitely going to check them out! Great post!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is really cool… !
ooh, there’s 3 of them in Ireland… 🙂 but not in my area… I may just get my hammer and nails out and pop one up! XD
LikeLiked by 2 people
You had better luck using the map than I did – I did a search for uk and all I got was two bubbles, none of which were in Wales or Ireland
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you search by ‘near you’ or postcode? I chose the filter option for Country and then typed Ireland into the search box…
LikeLike
I did exactly what you did – Wales has zero!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My home country Estonia was zero, too! Need to fix that 😀
LikeLike
It’s popular in the US (perhaps near Jill) I think. Would be cool if you had your own little free library nearby.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely… and I’d become a local hero of sorts! XD hahaha… no, it would be really cool… I need to have a think on where to organise one…
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘Liis the local hero’ :-). Wish I was living near you now ;-). You have to do a search in google or their site for pictures, you’re going to go crazy how wonderful some of them look.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve not seen one in my area and looking at the map it seems there is only one in the UK. Like you we don’t have a space at our home to put one of these libraries ….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well you could put it somewhere else, if you have permission from the owner. I think it’s strange there aren’t more in the UK though since they are very bookish-oriented.
LikeLike
I have a little spot in mind indeed that could be used if we got permission from the landowner
LikeLike
There aren’t really any near me, but I have seen them in other cities!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Little free libraries are AWESOME! I saw the concept of it a few years ago right before they were going to close the library down here due to lack of funding. One of the reasons I moved into my current house is that this particular library is about 15m away from my front door. I was able to wave at the librarians from my living room. Yet when they closed it, I thought having a Little Free library in my front yard would be an amazing alternative. And then as I was walking to my parents, I noticed someone else had already put one up, about a 30-second walk from here :). Awesomeness. It’s the same as with the first one up here though, lots of Dutch and German books that aren’t really very interesting to me. So I might still have to set up one myself in the end ;).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lucky you, first living so close to a library and then a Little Free Library right there around the corner. I wonder though if you put English books in them, they’d be traded for other English books. I can live with the alternative though as long as they’re not ancient books (there were a few I have to admit).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking at the local population, they probably won’t ;). I don’t mind if the books in it are Dutch per se, but most of them are ‘streekroman’ ish…
LikeLike
This is a wonderful idea! 😮
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are soooo cool! I believe we have a few nearby. I need to actually check. I love the whole concept. What a great way to spend your time. Jealous! If we owned our property, I would totally do this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want to hear all about it if you find one, if there were a lot of books and if there were interesting ones. I am sure to check if I ever go on holiday abroad to check if there’s not one close to where I’m staying. I’m a bookaholic, did I mention that ;-)?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehe I had a feeling you might be a bookaholic 😉 I suffer the same. I will definitely let you know if I venture out to some.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States and there are several Little Free Libraries spread out throughout the city, especially downtown. The only problem is that every one that I’ve stopped at, never has any books in it. Maybe a couple. The photos you posted looks like that Little Library was stuffed with some good books!
LikeLike
Yes the first one really had some interesting titles (two of them I already had) but not really any crime. But I do intend to go back, it’s still a little bit of a surprise every time you open it, and it might make me read something I wouldn’t necessarily buy otherwise. We’ll see. Thanks for sharing your experience! A pity there aren’t more books in yours. Not a lot of readers around then or don’t they bother sharing?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure which it is, honestly. I’m hoping it’s not the case of no readers, but it’s possible. Maybe a lot of people are unaware that they exist or what they are for. I need to find a way to spread the word.
LikeLike
I have seen a couple of them in Bordeaux, and I added a book to the nearest one from my home. I know the park in which it has been set is visited by English speaking people because there’s an international school around the corner, and all of my books being in English, it was the perfect spot to share.
LikeLike
I’ve really been tempted by all the reviews of Saving Sophie but so far I’ve managed to resist but I fear my resolve won’t last much longer. I love the idea of the free libraries but we don’t have one here – maybe I should start one?
LikeLike
You totally should. With the books you read you’ll make lots of other readers very happy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These things are always jam packed. There are two by my house in Indiana, USA. When an author/publisher sends me a review copy, I put it in the Little Free Library when I’m done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so nice! I wish I was living near your house 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Curiosities of the Deep – the night gardener (Jonathan Auxier) | Captain's Quarters