Little Free Library FAQs
Type your question in the search bar below or scroll down to view all FAQs. Click on the icon next to each question to reveal the answer. If you don’t see your question answered below, please contact us.
General
Anyone can share books in local Little Free Library book-sharing boxes! Use Little Free Library’s world map to find little libraries near you. Then, visit the library of your choice and leave some books inside. It’s that easy! Please be respectful, though, and don’t cram books in a library that’s already full. Speak with the homeowner or business owner where the library is installed if you’re not sure if it’s OK to leave books.
Donations
Anyone can share books in local Little Free Library book-sharing boxes! Use Little Free Library’s world map to find little libraries near you. Then, visit the library of your choice and leave some books inside. It’s that easy! Please be respectful, though, and don’t cram books in a library that’s already full. Speak with the homeowner or business owner where the library is installed if you’re not sure if it’s OK to leave books.
Donations of books or other items to individual book-sharing boxes may be tax-deductible, but please consult your tax specialist for a comprehensive answer.
Maintenance
Everyone who uses the library has the right of helping make sure the types of books in it are appropriate to neighbors of all ages and backgrounds. You are as capable as anyone else to remove a book … but we encourage you to be open-minded about it. For example, if the library becomes a place for promoting controversial causes, it might lose a good number of customers.
Censorship is not the answer, but a balanced collection can be. Don’t ban books, but instead of five or 10 copies of something, one copy might do. Instead of a messy collection of handouts and brochures promoting almost anything, try limiting pamphlets to recruitment for tutoring or reading programs.
Ask library users, neighbors and friends to contribute books. Reach out to local bookstores and the public library staff and ask them to donate excess stock to you. Check our Book Opportunities page regularly for giveaways and opportunities to get free or discounted books.
Keep people informed about what they can bring by leaving a note in your library asking for a certain type of books. But don’t let people assume that someone else (you, for example) is solely responsible. The more people who participate, the better.