Sharing More than Books: Handwritten Notes from Little Free Library Visitors to Stewards

With a new year upon us, many folks are taking a moment to note what they’re grateful for and the positive changes they’d like to work toward in the months to come. One simple gesture of gratitude has been a staple for centuries across the world: the thank you note. Little Free Library stewards share books and the love of reading with their communities by volunteering their time and resources to maintain book-exchange boxes. Although having a little library is joyful all on its own, hearing that your neighbors are enjoying the books as much as you do makes stewardship even more special.

Notes of gratitude, book requests, and drawings from little readers all make for a lovely surprise, especially in the age of digital communication. To celebrate National Handwriting Day (January 23), we’re sharing some of the kind notes our stewards have received in their book-sharing boxes!

A sweet thank you card and an article about Little Free Libraries was left in charter #90620 in Lake Elmo, MN.

The steward of charter #85836 in Holland, OH came home from vacation to see a copy of “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak was well-loved while she was away.

Charter #18683 and its steward are much-appreciated in their Lakeland, FL neighborhood.

In San Diego, CA, this book came back to charter #75217 with a kind note to the steward with props to the titles available in their library.

This holiday season, Santa found a wish-list in charter #53502 in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia.

When the stewards of charter #1383 in Colorado Springs, CO met one of their visitors who had found the perfect book to help her grieve the loss of a dog, the visitor thanked them with a thank you card and a care package full of books for other dog lovers.

In Hendersonville, NC, charter #53754 is succeeding in sharing books and joy.

A young reader in Dayton, NV left a request and a tidy yard for the steward of charter #91051.

The spirit of book sharing is alive and well at charter #21588 in Lake Mary, FL.

This note left in the guest book at charter #95591 in Matthews, NC is a good reminder for all of us.

A simple thank you left in charter #63367 brightened this steward’s day in Bakersfield, CA.

Winter weather have your book-exchange box in need of a little TLC? Check out our recent How to Winterize Your Little Free Library post for a walk-through that will help keep your library weather-proof for many more years of book sharing! If you’re ready to start a Little Free Library of your own, click here to get started.