Library crafts and activities Archives

Easy Activities for your Little Free Library

by Megan | Jun 4, 2020 | Community Outreach and Promotion, For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

There’s a growing body of research that shows when you focus on being kind to others, rather than doing things for yourself, you feel happier and more positive. It’s like the kindness you put out into the world comes back to you! Starting a Little Free...

How to Create a Neighborhood Treasure Hunt

by Megan | Apr 30, 2020 | Community Outreach and Promotion, For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities

“I decided to try something new … and it has been incrediby popular. Everyone has been loving having an activity to do while social distancing,” says Alexandra MacDonald, steward of Little Free Library #20834 in Toronto, Ontario. (Find her library...

How to Wallpaper a Little Free Library

by Megan | Jan 30, 2020 | For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

Little Free Library volunteer steward Jennifer Wade came up with a creative way to add some color and personality to her little library: wallpapering the inside! As a longtime reader and bibliophile, Jennifer had often admired the Little Free Library book boxes in her...

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

by Lexie Neeley | Jan 2, 2020 | For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities, Steward Stories

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...

How to Celebrate the Holidays at Your Little Free Library

by Megan | Dec 6, 2019 | Library crafts and activities

How can you celebrate the holidays with your Little Free Library book exchange? Every year little library stewards surprise us with their wonderful creativity! Some easy ideas include: Add a red bow or wreath on a hook on the library post Decorate the library with...

How to Caulk your Little Free Library Book-Sharing Box

by Dan Sheridan | Nov 29, 2019 | For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

If your Little Free Library book-sharing box has been well-used for a few years, or perhaps you live in a snowy or rainy climate, one way to make sure you have dry books for years to come is to caulk the seems of your Little Library. Caulk is a waterproof sealant and...

7 Fabulously Fall-Inspired Little Free Libraries

by Lexie Neeley | Nov 1, 2019 | Cool Library Designs, For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities

Every season, Little Free Library stewards blow us away with their creative decor and holiday celebrations, and this year is no exception! Decorating your Little Free Library to celebrate different holidays and seasons, as well as offering seasonal reads, is a great...

7 Cheap and Creative Ways to Expand your Little Free Library Book-Sharing Box

by Megan | Aug 30, 2019 | For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities

You figured out how to start a Little Free Library book exchange, and things are going well, but you’ve got a problem: too many books! Many Little Free Library volunteer stewards quickly realize that their neighbors are sharing more books than their library can...

Ojai Public Library Comes up with Ingenious Way to Get Kids Excited about Books

by Megan | Aug 2, 2019 | Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities, Steward Stories

The public library in Ojai Valley, California, and the Ojai Valley Library Friends & Foundation (OVLFF) came up with an ingenious way to get kids excited about books and encourage them to read more. They encouraged kids to visit at least 10 of the Little Free...

Students Share STEM Kits in Little Free Libraries

by Megan | Jun 21, 2019 | Cool Library Designs, For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

Sheley Wimmer is a teacher and the steward of Little Free Library book-sharing box #84277 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her Library is a repurposed newspaper vending box, and it’s one of ten Little Libraries that her students are creating for their community....

3 Creative Ways to Get More Little Library Visitors

by Megan | Apr 11, 2019 | For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities

If you’re lucky, lots of people will use your Little Free Library right from the start. Sometimes, though, it takes weeks or months for people to discover a new Little Library. This is especially true for Libraries in secluded locations or those tucked away on...

How to Add a Fairy Garden to Your Little Free Library

by Megan | Apr 5, 2019 | For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

Little Free Library steward Gary Bachman is always looking for new things to try out in his home garden. Gary is a horticulturist with Mississippi State University Extension and was recently named a Great American Gardener by the American Horticultural Society....

Read and Grow: Little Free Libraries and Gardens

by Dan Sheridan | Mar 15, 2019 | Cool Library Designs, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities

With Spring on the way, it’s time to start preparing your Little Free Library for more foot traffic and book circulation. For some stewards with green thumbs, they are also gearing up to share seeds, scents, and floral scenery at their Library!

How to ‘Marie Kondo’ Your Little Free Library

by Margret Aldrich | Feb 7, 2019 | Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities, Rebuild and Revitalize

Unless you’ve been living under a stack of books, you’re probably aware of organizer-extraordinaire Marie Kondo and her mission to declutter the planet. To achieve that mission, Kondo—author of the bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and...

Trick or Treat and Read: A Little Free Library Event

by Megan | Nov 23, 2018 | Community Outreach and Promotion, Library crafts and activities

Starting in 2016, Little Free Library volunteer steward Margaret Farmer has hosted a “Trick or Treat and Read” event at her Library in Boston. It’s a fun way to encourage kids to read on the spookiest night of the year! If you get lots of...

A Quick and Easy Way to Decorate Your Library: Vinyl Decals

by Megan | Nov 16, 2018 | For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

Looking for a quick and easy way to decorate your Library? Consider using exterior vinyl decals! That’s what Scarlett Herreman, steward of Library #68402 in Topeka, KS, did to add some flair to her Library. Scarlett started by purchasing the Acadia Library from...

Passport to Ride: An Adorable Little Free Library Bike Tour

by Megan | Nov 8, 2018 | Community Outreach and Promotion, For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities

When Brooke Fossey, steward of Little Free Library #52072, moved to Pittsford, NY, she decided to bring one of her favorite activities with her: Kidical Mass group bike rides for kids and families. She established a local chapter and brought members of her community...

10 Objects You Didn’t Know Could Be a Little Free Library

by Megan | Feb 28, 2018 | Building Little Free Libraries, Library crafts and activities

Using repurposed materials to build a Little Free Library book-sharing box is not only eco-friendly, but it can result in some pretty wild Little Free Library designs! When it comes down to it, you just need a structure that can hold books, and the designs below show...

A Citywide Passport to Reading Event with Little Free Library book-sharing boxes

by Megan | Feb 26, 2018 | For Stewards, Innovative Ideas & Strategies "Outside the Box.", Library crafts and activities, Steward Stories

We’ve talked about Little Free Library crawls before, but the city of Saline, Michigan, put a fun twist on the traditional idea in an event that we think you’ll definitely want to try! In a collaborative “Passport to the World of Books” event,...

How to Install a Solar Light on a Little Free Library

by Megan | Feb 9, 2018 | Building Little Free Libraries, For Stewards, Library crafts and activities

You might not suspect it, but your book-sharing box probably gets late-night visitors. It’s more common than you think! But keeping your Little Free Library lit up for those night-owl browsers can be a challenge. Solar lights to the rescue! Adding a solar light...