Remember that the purpose of a Little Free Library is to share books. You can’t really steal from it. Perhaps the person taking all the books doesn’t have any at home, or is distributing them to others in their apartment complex, school, or retirement community. Over the years we’ve heard from many stewards who’ve discovered that a book “thief” really wasn’t a thief at all.
If someone is repeatedly clearing out your library and you suspect foul play, download these labels, which are often used by stewards. We also sell this stamp on our shop. Other stewards also will simply write in sharpie on the inside cover, back cover, and spine of the book “NOT FOR SALE” to deter people from reselling the books.
Some other suggestions from stewards are to leave the library empty for a few weeks to see if the people move on, or only stocking a few books at a time to keep some in reserve to slowly stock. This is a commonly discussed topic in the Stewards Facebook group. Consider joining to see what other stewards are doing as strategies to deal with things like this.
We understand how frustrating it can be when someone takes advantage of your generosity and care in stocking your little free library. One of the challenging parts of stewardship and building community is it is an act of bravery and vulnerability to engage and connect with a whole host of people who think, believe, and act differently than you would, and to give back to that community all the same. We thank you for being here, and undertaking that challenge.