It’s not a worldwide conspiracy or even a very smart local business. But in a half-dozen or so communities we know of, Little Libraries have been cleared of their contents and the violation of trust can affect us all. Like kids collecting returnable soda bottles a generation ago, a couple in one city has occasionally cleaned out several Little Libraries in the hope of scoring some easy money. A homeless fellow needed pocket change and took books 10 miles each day to the used bookstore. Maybe your Library has been among the victims. We could respond by installing lights and automatic alarms but that just doesn’t seem consistent with the character of this friendly enterprise.
Terry Weiss’s Little Library in Corvallis, OR
Steward Terry Weiss of Corvallis, OR had the entire contents of her Library removed multiple times over a period of several months. In response, she put up a sign on the Little Library, stamped each book to indicate it was from a Little Free Library and approached local bookstores to explain her situation. Here is what she had to say:
“I did close the library for a week while we were away (normally I have a neighbor keep it up for me) and put up a sign saying that I was not going to stop providing books for the kids in the neighborhood, and won’t let one bad apple spoil it for all. I opened the library on Saturday, and so far – it’s now Wednesday – no stolen books. The sign may well have done it. I’ve been so pleased about the response of local bookstores and neighbors and friends. We now have a good supply of books, and credit at a local used book store – which will be spent on the favorite chapter books that the 8 – 10 year olds like. We have been given a very nice supply of little kids books as well. So, we’re in business and fully intend to stay that way!
“I have found a camera that can be concealed in a tree – first I have to make sure it’s not more than 30 feet away – the flash doesn’t show, even at night. It’s for hunters to photograph places where their prey might come. It takes both night and day photos, and is motion sensitive, so it will only take photos when it has been triggered. I think it won’t be easily visible, so shouldn’t be a problem for our “regular” customers. I can set it for a wide choice of time increments also.
Andrew Carnegie
“Perhaps you could tell other people who have been hit by miscreants about these cameras. I got mine in the hunting department of a local store and it was $99. Which is significantly less than the amount of money I’ve spent on books that have been taken. It requires AA batteries and a camera memory chip, so very doable. I wouldn’t consider for a moment putting the camera on the library – totally outside the spirit and it’s the spirit that counts. We love our library and so do so many others around here. I’m so glad our regular customers can once again find books to read and love. Reading real books is far from obsolete around here, I can tell you that. ”
Half Price Books Isn’t Buying It
Half Price Books stores in Wisconsin have stepped up and instructed their employees not to purchase books taken from Little Free Libraries. In fact, it was their goodwill that inspired us to create the message “Always a Gift; Never for Sale.” Remember, there are printable book labels available on the Just For Stewards page of our website, and you may purchase a rubber stamp that can be used thousands of times to mark each book in your Library as “Always a Gift; Never For Sale.”
Half Price Books has asked us for a sign to put up at the book purchasing counter in all of their Wisconsin branches (hopefully this will spread to all national branches soon!). Here are some first drafts we’re working on: (Note: these are not approved yet. Can you think of some other messages or better wording?)
Half Price Books Fully Supports Little Free Libraries
We support libraries, big and small. That’s why we do not purchase books taken from Little Free Libraries. In fact, we like to reward the customers who give to Little Libraries instead of just taking from them. For that reason, we offer special discounts to official Little Free Library stewards and donate books several times per year.
Do You Know Someone Trying To Sell Us Books From Little Free Libraries?
Help us spread the word: good bookstores support libraries, big and small. That’s why we do not purchase books taken from Little Free Libraries. In fact, we like to reward the customers who give to Little Libraries instead of just taking from them. We offer special discounts to official Little Free Library stewards who buy books from us.
Let us know what you think; we would love to hear from you.
Sign Suggestions for Your Library
If you want to put up a sign to discourage Mr. or Miss Sticky Fingers, here is some wording that has been successful in the past:
- Generosity Zone – This Little Free Library lives on the trust and generosity of little children and adults. We love the idea of sharing books with each other; giving and returning books. Each time someone takes books in order to sell them, it hurts our neighborhood. And each time someone gives a good book, it helps. Thanks!
- Book Thieves? Before you take all these books/Know that we will be taking looks/at you and wondering why/you would ever want to make us cry/So take these books if you must/But know you’ve stolen all our trust/And we would paint your toenails puce/or cover your head with lots of orange juice/(if we could)/But we would rather not/So please pitch in and give a book/Or a crocodile will eat you…just like Captain Hook!/ Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock…
- Dear Mr. or Ms. Book Taker – Please don’t take our books away just so you can get money. It hurts our feelings. We love them for reading and learning, and you can, too! Most book sellers we know do not want to buy from people who remove the books from Little Free Libraries. It’s kind of like stealing from everybody.
- You Can’t Steal a Free Book – Some people think they can, so they stop by, load up with good books and try to re-sell them. If you know or see someone in the self-serving “book biz,” please talk to them. Tell them many, many people are watching this Library because we love it.
Finally, if you’re having trouble with people abusing your Little Library, contact us! We are here to support you and will help however we can.
My books have never been stole, but my little free library was! Someone removed all the books and left them in my yard and took the library!!! I was/am so upset I have yet to replace it.
Secure the beauty. My redwood creation was punched with a steel baseball bat. I had it repaired and protected with metal stakes, not as lovely but PROTECTED. Good luck
Where in the world do you LIVE that someone would steal your Little Free Library? This is so disturbing to hear.
Ours is directly in front of our house. I’m working on incorporating it into the flower bed with a “fairy garden” within… NOW your making me think twice about the perennial fairy garden of miniatures within a planted wire basket!
I am sorry. Mine was out for 2 days and someone stole everything…
I have not had issues with books being stolen and taken to a used bookstore because our used bookstore gives credit, not money. What I have had taken, are my first two “Guest Books” since January. I cannot understand why anyone would want them, they have a welcome note on the first page inviting people to make comments or requests. I have just put out Guest Book #3 – we will see. I did put a request in there for patrons to put the book back so we can review the requests and comments and proceed accordingly and taped my “Business Card” on the inside cover. We will see…… Peace, Vikki
I purchased a BOOK REQUEST pad made of library cards for our bookworms to make requests for me to scour book sales, recycling centers, used bookstores (large credit) and through our local library “Friends of the Library” group who agreed to let us go through their donated books!
Did you SECURE it somehow so they couldn’t walk off with it? If so, please share… this is why I’ve not put ours out yet. We do have a bookmark jar. Our library was so generous as to give us a great variety of bookmarks.
I too, have had my guest book stolen!
People are funny.
That’s funny to read. I thought I was the only one in the curioity mode about a comment book. On Day 2, I placed a simple composition book with a couple of sentences written on the first page asking for comments IF anyone were so inclined.
Day 3: Pen left but no composition book—another unexpected surprise from LL. I’ve been so enjoying this process nonetheless.
I left paper and a pencil for comments and book suggestions, too. The paper went mostly unused, but the pencil was used to draw…uhhhh…inappropriate graffiti on the library. I no longer leave pencils!
We have a LFL in Paris Ontario, we stamp all our books ,but because we live in a rural area and have trouble with mail box bashers we lock our LFL at night -so this also discourages people from taking the books at night !
I, too, have had my first “Guestbook” stolen from my Little Free Library of Twinbrook (#7720) in Rockville, Maryland, USA. I was very upset about that incident when it happened. I seriously doubt that anyone will want to “steal” any of the other books in my LFL because all of them now have a BookCrossing label taped *securely* inside the front cover. Should anyone try to remove this label, that action would probably tear the page. I even do this with donated books because I feel that, not only might the BookCrossing label help track where the book eventually goes (and that’s the fun of BookCrossing), but doing this is also a deterrent to book-stealing from my LFL.
Though I feel silly inquiring, however NO ? is too stupid…
What exactly is a “Book Crossing Label?”
BookCrossing.com is an online community of booklovers. What we do is we register books with an ID number, then pass them on. The next person can use the ID to make a journal entry. Each book has a journal page, which chronicles the hands it has passed through and each reader’s comment.
We can pass on the books to friends/family, but many like to “wild release”, ie, just leaving the book somewhere for a stranger to find. We can leave it at a cafe, on a bus, on a park bench, etc. LFL is a popular place for some of us, as it has a better chance of the book being picked by someone who’s interested, rather than get thrown away.
I have made it a point from the very beginning to mark our books in our little free library with just those words “LITTLE FREE LIBRARY” I hated doing that because you just don’t write in books! But, I had a feeling some clown would come along take the “good” books and try to re-sell them. At least this way, if the thief wants to sell on-line or at the local used book store they will have to make mention of any marked pages. So far, I’ve been lucky after two years and none of my books have been stolen or for that matter “re-sold” at least I hope so!
Some people huh?
To leave a message for the thief would be pointless. They are most illiterate and are not readers.
A suggestion for those (like me) who have had their Guest Book stolen in the past is to now take pictures of the pages of what people write in the replacement Guest Book. In that way, if the actual book is again stolen, at least you have a record of what people wrote.
I provide protection for my LFL since I have been vandalized and learned that without protection, the LFL is out there vulnerable
No books have been stolen. However, three times now, our solar light or the wires connecting it have been vandalized. Nothing else in the library is disturbed and the mean-spirited person even leaves the broken wires in the library as if to taunt us. We are today putting up a sign which says “We want to thank all of the loyal patrons of Little Free Library #4441. We thoroughly enjoy sharing our love of reading with you. Sadly, some mean-spirited person has vandalized our Little Free Library multiple times. We sincerely hope that this doesn’t continue. This library is meant to promote reading among all ages. If you enjoy our library as much as we do, we ask that you be aware of this vandal in the neighborhood and be sure and report anything suspicious to the police. Thank you for protecting and loving our Library. “Be awesome! Be a book nut!” — Dr. Seuss
I paid for my LFL; paid for the books and paid to have it restored. It would be great if those recipients were to pitch in to support you with a few $; that would be the ideal and would offset the bad karma
Is this meant to be? Perhaps you need to no longer contribute something that is too vulnerable? Can another area work out better?
I can’t imagine it would be so, but any chance the light is shining in somebody’s bedroom window?
I’ve had my LFL up for a week and it’s been emptied at least twice. I caught a young girl after the first time. I went out and talked with her and explained the concept. The next day I wasn’t home when she got out of school and I think she emptied it again. She says she’s taking them to her grandmother but I sure could use some advice on dealing with her. I told her I’d try to find some books she’d like to read. Any ideas?
Do you have any idea of your young lady’s age? From what you wrote by all appearances might she have a disability or just be compulsive about taking things, which don’t belong to her for whatever reason or purpose.
Since people are so volatile these days I’m not sure if I’d direct you to approach an adult at her residence if known.
Susan,
I like your response of taking the opportunity to start a conversation with the young girl. I worry that punitive measures impact all LFL users and can change the ethos and access. If the ‘culprit’ can be rehabilitated that would be preferable, I think.
The stories above were my greatest fear since I`ve started a LFL in 2013. Till now nothing spectacular happened. Oke, some people don`t know that its possible to close the door or leave some books on the gardenwall, so they got wet. All my books are registered by Bookcrossing and almost all the books are stamped on the top and underside with “Free book” or in Dutch “gratis boek ”
One of the OBCZ`s of Bookcrossing, simular to LFL but in a restaurant was emptied several times, but thanks to the personal-members we had a talk with this “thief” and now it`s solved.
Happy reading every-one.
I printed pages of these labels to put in the books in our LFL. A book with this label in the front could not easily be resold.
“This book has been donated to the Little Free Library at Central Congregational Church, Huntoon and Buchanan, Topeka, Kansas. It is provided free of charge, and is intended for the reading enjoyment of our friends and neighbors.
When you have finished with it, please return it to the Little Free Library, or pass it along to someone else you believe would enjoy it.
You are also welcome to donate books of your own the Little Free Library.”
How do I find the steward of any Free Library so I can give them books to mark/stamp and put out for use?
We had two rather expensive waterproof bins by our LFL , one filled books for kids and young adults, the other for overflow of the LFL.
First , someone put the books for youngsters in the LFL and took the bin. Then, a few weeks later, the whole overflow bin AND books disappeared. It seems someone knew the value of the bins over the value of the free books! Ugh! We live in a quiet neighborhood in Lakewood, CO so this adds to the dissappointment of we who placed the LFL as well as the many patrons who walk our quiet street.
We have been contemplating putting up a sign, but are baffled as to what to say to such people.
One night, someone cleaned out our LFL. We have security cameras so we saw on camera, but did not recognize, the person. He appeared to be drunk. We just took the position that you can’t steal what’s given for free. It’s been about 9 months since that happened and we’ve had no other problems.
We stock our library with cast-offs from affluent school districts, free books from local book shops and local politicians, and used books from a host of donors. We give out about 150 – 200 books per week and take in a few from time to time. Our neighborhood children do not have books of their own and we are happy to give the books away so the children (and adults) can read whenever they wish. Bookstores will not purchase used library books, so few books are taken to sell. If they are taken to sell, then we believe the person who sells them has a greater need than reading in that moment. We embrace the take-a-book, leave-a-book ideal, but do not wish to deny a book to anyone who cannot leave one in return.
I just read an article in Psychology Today that asserted that people behave better when they think they are being watched. That makes sense, right? The article then went on to say that studies showed that even putting up a photograph or drawing of a pair of eyes is a deterrent! I may add some eyes to my LFL soon.
Several times, people have come by and taken armloads of books, but that has been the exception, rather than the rule.
There will always be bad apples.
My LFL and several others were completely wiped out just before Christmas. I happen to work in a bookstore and alerted them. They also suggested stamping or marking the books somehow. The newspapers were following our local LFL Facebook page and ran stories for several weeks in a row. I have received so many donated books from well meaning folks in the community, all of them complete strangers, that I have far more “reserves” than what was originally stolen!
How old is this girl? We can really only change ourselves; shouldn’t have to adapt to a culprit. Where are the parents?
We have awoken to a ransacked library — books taken, interior decorations stolen, and door left open to the wind — on almost a weekly basis for the past couple of months. We were ready to close it up and not restock it; except, yesterday we came home and found that a ribbon-wrapped coloring book with a new box of markers had been placed in the library. This kind gesture from one of our neighbors renewed our faith in the LFL system and I immediately loaded ours up with books. It reminded me that we can’t let one bad person ruin it for everyone.
My biggest problem is the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses loading my library up with their proselytizing material.
…that gets pretty annoying.
The only incident I have had was the same. Two little girls from down the street, ages 5 and 10 would come and take all of the children’s books. I would fill it with more children’s books and they would take them all again. I thought about this a lot, were they using my library like I wanted people to or were they stealing books? I also know they do not have much and I know that they loved the books and love reading, one of them put a note in the library saying I love your library! The next time I saw them I asked them if there was any books that they wanted to see more, and then I mentioned to them to not forget to bring the books back when they were done and I would put more books out that they would like. Do they still take a lot of books? Yes, but not all of them, and they bring them back when they are done.
Apparently there is someone collecting LFL guest books, as we’ve lost three or so, too, over the past year. We’ve had great community support, so our supply of books is good. But our books for children go out and rarely come back. We put a larger sticker with the donor’s name in the hardcover books, asking readers to please bring those books back when they’re done for others to enjoy. It doesn’t seem to be helping.
The LFL participants on the north side of Minneapolis have spoken to our local Half Price Books folks. If we have a sticker inside the book or if we print LFL with a marker, they will not buy them. So far the only problem I have had was books left outside in the snow and a scratch on the little door…and this is considered the highest crime neighborhood in Minneapolis!
I don’t think that my books are being taken for Re-sale. I do put stickers in all my books now. I did notice that I had some “grandmothers” who were taking 6 or 7 children’s books( I buy ALL my children’s books- at Library & rummage sales). I politely(confronted) a couple of them and asked that they let the children pick out their own books. One of these “grandmothers” let it slip one day that she had a daycare. So I found out they were stocking their Daycare library with my books. I have 2 Libraries, 1 for just Adult books and 1 for childrens. So when I see(I work from home) an adult with no child with her, looking in the Children’s Library, I know to go out and make myself known.
My LFL is in a small park near my home. I realize things happen. When someone told me books had been stolen , I replied , “I just ask that they are read”
I am amazed and saddened that you all are having such a time of it. We (#1821, Baltimore, MD, USA) have the opposite problem: the library gets too full! There’s plenty of turnover, but I guess people want to give more than they want to take.
I’m so glad (well, sad really) to read that others have had their library books taken. This has just happened to us after nearly a year of wonderful exchanges. Our neighborhood is a blend of readers–we’re 3 blocks from an elementary school, 1 mile from a large university and have a big apt. building across from us of older retired folks. We were crushed by the loss and didn’t know how best to handle it. I settled on writing a note of explanation to our “friends and neighbors” asking for help…when I took the note to the Little Free Library, someone had already brought about a dozen books and put them inside! That was 2 weeks ago and I’ve been tentatively restocking. . .most especially my children’s shelf! Thank you all for more suggestions and advice should we be victims again.
Respectfully, I wonder if there’s not a contradiction in the thought that “I wouldn’t consider for a moment putting the camera on the library – totally outside the spirit and it’s the spirit that counts.” If the spirit is one of trust, doesn’t any camera trained on the library show a (perhaps deserved) lack of trust?
We’ve had no trouble with our LFL (#1821, Baltimore, MD, USA) so I can’t walk in your shoes, and I don’t mean to question your desire to catch the miscreant. Still, ask yourself what the camera says. Is it the right way to communicate with somebody? What will you do with the information it provides? How will your “regular” customers feel if they find out they, too, have been unknowingly photographed by a hidden camera? Will they also lose trust in you? The camera may very well end up being the best way to go, but it’s a Pandora’s box and we need to think about it carefully.
Good luck with it and keep us updated!
I cannot seem to keep my LFL stocked with children’s books. Every week someone (or more than one) takes the children’s books and leaves the teen and adult ones. I keep replenishing them, but then those disappear too. It is getting expensive. Should I leave a reminder note that if one takes a book, one must leave a book or return it when one is finished with it? I too stamp all of my books with LFL motto.
I have the opposite problem of theft. That is, people put more books for adults in my LFL than they remove. I have an adult shelf and a children’s shelf and people fill up the kid’s self with books for adults after the adult shelf gets full. People also leave boxes of books on my porch or call and ask if I can take some books off of their hands. Maybe it is because my LFL is considerably larger than most and I live in a generous community.
Don
Twice all the books from the children’s side were taken from my little free library. I left that side of the library empty for a short time and put up a sign explaining that the library is for our whole community and that it takes everyone sharing, taking but also leaving books. It’s been several months now and no more problems.
Once only have I come out and found my LFL completely empty. I laughed and refilled it. After all, that is the point; sharing books. I don’t think people are selling what I put in there, but maybe. The oddest thing was a man who approached me to say my library had inspired him to start a LFL in another part of town. He told me he came to my library to get children’s books, because he didn’t have any!!! After a week, I didn’t have any, either! I put a note in the library apologizing to my neighborhood for not having children’s books and asking those who did have some to spare to share them. And now my library is stuffed with children’s books. I love this LFL steward life!!!
I purchased the rubber stamp from Little Free Library.org and stamp each and every book that I put into my library. I also check on my library daily and stamp books that people leave.
I had to put up a sign after a patron loaded up two shopping bags with books–which she carried away even after I went out there to question the number of books she was taking. My sign says, “Please take only two books at a time so everybody can enjoy the Little Free Library. Thank you.” No trouble since, except occasional vandals tossing books into my neighbor’s yard.
Our little library was stolen. The police found it with a pair of baby shoes inside. The library was found on the south side of Madison WI undamaged. The problem I have is that the neighbors take the books and I never I see them again. We are the only little library in the neighborhood.
We had a problem with all of our books being taken it turned out to be a woman who felt compelled to correct the books. We did talk to her about not taking all the books. When we were wiped out again, I decided to make it a little more difficult – I added an unabridged dictionary to the library. Hasn’t happened since.
Heah in Kentucky, we jus shoot ’em, unless it’s kin foke.
Sounds like you don’t take survivors. I like the spirit. My four are going in front of correctional facilities. They’ll all be on camera.
I started putting the templates in the books. It was very time consuming. It would be nice if we could purchase a rubber stamp from Little Free Libraries. I would do that.
As BookCrossers we’re perhaps a bit more accustomed to leaving books and never seeing them again. Happily, so far we have had the opposite ‘problem’: our LFL sometimes becomes over-stocked from contributions! We have a bit different situation in that the LFL is situated in the middle of a fairly busy environmental park inside the Bird Watching Hut – so vandals are a bit discouraged by having to walk a good distance to do anything. Also, the park is closed at night so that helps, too.
Having this LFL has been a wonderful experience. We hope to get more LFL’s started along a new Rail Trail in town.
It may not be “theft for resale,” it may be someone that has hording issues.
First, this is the Bookcrossing site: http://www.bookcrossing.com/
We ‘planted’ our LFL in September, 2011. It’s an urban residential area, usually considered a ‘rough’ area, with longtime and new homeowners and renters, many fairly transient, as my childhood was. It seems that every spring we are teaching new kids what is appropriate behavior in public areas. Part of that teaching is that the LFL is for everyone.
Since being installed, probably six times I’ve found a book or three tossed into our yard, on further down the street, or at the base of the library. I first consider ‘why’. I discourage placing books in the library that are fragile, have a weak spine or binding, or are very tattered. I secure bookcovers with tape (loose bookcovers often get discarded), and on most books tape a label on the front. It varies so people won’t get bored: ‘This book is to be enjoyed and shared, not sold’ or ‘Please return this book so others can read it. Delight in reading!’
An man for a rooming house was taking books to sell. His fellow housemates told me and said they talked with him…he stopped. A ten-year old neighbor girl was emptying the LFL several days a week…then tried to sell them at her friend’s lemonade stand! Even asked me if I would buy them! I had talked with her twice before about this, but this time it took.
The two times I found a book at the base, I realized the library had been very well stocked. Smaller children – they are the greatest number stopping at the library – would, of course have difficulty managing looking at books, keeping them in their hands and keeping books from falling out….I try to make the contents reasonable in assortment, size and quantity.
A small boy, 7 or 8 years old, with a group of friends, once slammed the heel of his hand into the window, breaking the plexiglass. I got a thicker plexiglass and replaced it. The boy was visiting friends. Two of the kids revisited me and told me they talked with him about reading and the LFL belonged to ALL of us.
Many, many more stories….the gist of it is, when we planted the LFL we made sure everyone there knew it belonged to the neighborhood…the kids teach the new kids….people are amazed that the library and books are free…especially in a neighborhood where life can be considered ‘cheap’ and kind words and shared books become the basis of friendship and a safe place. I always need more children’s books, books written in Spanish and Karen, and home improvement….
sage
We’ve had ours up for only 3 weeks and we are swamped with visiting families AND gifted kids’ books, being in the center of mid-city LA, where there’s a dearth of, well, everything. But sad to say that we were coincidentally wiped clean yesterday of all books.
Thankfully I’ve got a ton of donations, and I’m grateful for the recommendation of adding bookplates (which will also help hide “discard” stamps, library and school markings, and prior bookplates. It’ll be fun to design a custom bookplate for our Little Free Library at Cimarron Ranch!
I go to the Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood in St. Paul, MN and have noticed a few were empty over the winter. I wonder now if they were cleared due to the extreme cold and frequent snowfalls or if–as you are saying– people took all the books. It was impossible to get to most of them because of the huge snow piles.
But–and a BIG BUT–why is it wrong for the occassional homeless person to use the books to get some much-needed money? These libraries are a charity in themselves. Or does your town/village/community NOT have a public library?? I have to believe a homeless person also reads some, or maybe just one, of the books taken. I am such an optimist that I believe in the goodness in us all and think it is just too “I am better than you are” to put up cameras to monitor the libraries. By the way, how will you find and proseccute the abuser of YOUR free library?
GOOD READING TO ALL!!
Hi, I admire all of the folks that have LFL’s but it sure doesn’t sound like something I would want to do. I thought I would but it now sounds discouraging.
My LFL has been torn down and thrown in the street, set afIre, spray painted and completely emptied multiple times. But I just keep fixing it and filling it with books because I love it!
That’s exactly the spirit that inspires me. Keep coming back! We each have different levels of tolerance, and unfortunately we sometimes forget that not everyone “gets it” the same way we do.. We’ve been trained or habituated to rules…but we’re often used to very different rules and circumstances. All I know is that I prefer generosity over punishment or an authoritarian approach; aikido over punching somebody, direct, friendly communication over threats or enforcement. When the challenges overwhelm our goodwill, it’s probably time for a rest. But come back and rediscover the pleasures when you can. What’s the old saying? Love connects; fear divides.
Good work Jenny. You have a lot of faith. Try to believe that the anger will spend itself out and all will be well. After all, you are doing something so powerful for good in the world, stimulating imagination, fostering hope, spreading ideas in the world through books. Your library has most likely saved lives already by giving people ideas through the written word. Thank you. You are awesome.
Hello all fellow LFL Stewards & book lovers!
I am steward #5581 in MT. I built my library out of recycled materials and placed it at the back corner of my property just outside my garden fence. My little library is a very popular destination for many people in our small town. Having a LFL has been an amazing and exciting experience! I get so many positive remarks and words of praise and support for it. Unfortunately, it has also been vandalized, and I too, am considering an outdoor monitoring type camera of some sort.
Initially, my library was vandalized by a clutch of bored, angry pre-teen girls. They used lipstick to write graffiti all over the plexiglass doors. As I work at the local school, I knew exactly who the guilty girls were and by the end of the day those girls and their guardians were gathered at my LFL. The parents agreed that in exchange for my not pressing charges with the police, their children would do “hard-labor” for me. The lipstick was scrubbed off and my yard and garden areas were raked and cleaned under my close supervision.
The second vandalism involved 3 male college students who passed by one late afternoon. My neighbors saw them stop at the library very briefly before hurrying away. I had also seen these same students that day. They were loud and boisterous, passing a large “orange juice” container among themselves as they walked by. I did not closely check my library until early the next morning, only to discover that they had punched in and broken the plexiglass panel in one of the front doors. They had also removed and thrown my small American flag over the fence into my garden. I reported it to the police, and replaced the plexiglass and flag. No one was ever caught for this crime. Happily, nothing else was destroyed.
I have had several instances of books disappearing from the library without being replaced or traded. I do not stamp or label any of my books, as they trade in and out so quickly…I could never keep up with them.
Recently we had one neighbor boy visit my library right after school. Thinking that no one could see him, he withdrew a book without trading for it. After taking a quick look around, he undid his shorts and proceeded to use my library area as a urinal. Caught in the act by my companion, he tried to run off but Paul stopped him and reprimanded him for his outdoor toileting behavior. Paul also reminded him about the library’s book exchange policy. The next day I spoke with the boy and (sadly) banned him from ever using my library again. He returned the “stolen” book, but the next morning I noted that 5 or 6 large, adult paperback books had been taken from the library without being exchanged. I am certain he was the culprit…but can not prove this. I have plenty of replacement books in storage, so I restocked my LFL.
Fortunately, the damage has not been permanent or structural…up to this point. (If you don’t count my broken heart!) Despite my anger and frustration at these useless acts of vandalism, I am making plans to put in a second, larger library. Sort of like the children’s storybook, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…,” having one library leads to wanting another one! (: Currently, my 3 foot wide LFL houses books for all ages, from baby to adult. This “new library’ will be a converted, rustic outhouse remade into a sidewalk, walk-up library stocked with books and DVDs for teens and adults. My original LFL will house books and DVDs exclusively for children.
There are no easy answers or solutions for the destructive manners of other people. Shame on them, anyway! Fortunately, most folks do not display such juvenile behaviors. Keep the doors of your libraries and your expansive reading imaginations OPEN for those of us who appreciate the adventerous journeys that only a good book can gift us with!
If I ever pass through your city or town, I will look you up! If you ever pass through mine, please come find me! You are welcome!
Most sincerely, Maria, LFL Steward #5581
Maria, Thanks for your stories, patience and good advice. It’s interesting to note that you generally expect people to exchange books, return or replace them. I think stewards are all over the map on that issue. Some never expect books to be returned and never worry about it. They just love providing books to anyone who needs or wants them, and they are thrilled when people contribute. Others have people sign out the books they want, on loan. My sense is that the less rigid approaches work best…but that depends. Overall, what seems to make the difference is a level of caring and attention that is shared by many people, not only the person in whose yard or business the Library resides. The main thing to do is enjoy the overall experience and know that on balance, the Library can be a wonderful resource for all kinds of good.
What horror stories. I feel so bad for you and all you are doing. Don’t give up because what you are doing to promote literacy is so important. As a teacher for 24 years, the research shows literacy is the key for our future generations.
I dare anyone to steal anything or damage my future LFLs. My four libraries are being installed in our county in Ohio, one in front of each of the two state prison facilities, one in front of the CBCF, and one in front of the county jail. (The kids who visit a parent incarcerated have a higher chance of being incarcerated when they become an adult. I’m hoping literacy helps break the cycle.) All four facilities have cameras on the outside sidewalk areas where they are being installed. I think I’ll put a sign that reads, “To anyone tempted to steal books or damage this library: Smile, you’re on candid camera!” on the inside door on mine to deter anyone who forgets where they are or feel tempted. The younger kids will not quite understand the message, but I don’t think it will offend anyone who has good intentions.
I feel for anyone who is having troubles with their LFL. Hopefully, you can find a solution to deter the theft or vandalism. We are having a total of 55 LFLs installed in our county. I’m willing to sit in the dark with my cell phone ready to call the police if I hear any are having problems.
I’ve found that as much as I love and want to ‘protect’ our LFL from harm; as much as I would love for people to leave a book when they take a book, the reality is, if I hold on too tightly to the idea of protecting the physical library and seeing that there is an equal exchange of give and take in the books, I would forget that my purpose in having the LFL is to allow people to learn that there is no scarcity for anyone if we all share; that some people may take an armful of books and not leave one, but they come back later to return a bagful (a few have taken extras for housebound neighbors); I’ve found that gentle conversations with people go a long way in learning why they do what they do against ‘the norm’.
Personally, I don’t want to ‘police’ our LFL. So, I know that sometimes things happen. When it does, we deal with it, but I know that if I get angry it will really only bother me, and probably fester or accumulate within me. I’d rather keep learning about human nature and directly and gently communicate my thoughts about behavior with the person as we meet.
What do I do about so porno? In the children’s section
I have found some “soft porn” in our Little Free Library. The book looking much like a colorful, cartoon children’s book. We pulled it but what about future standards?
I had another eye opener today. I got your stamp on Saturday and stamped every book that I had including the ones in the LFL. My library is in front of my church so I normally fill it after church on Sunday; I didn’t have quite enough books yesterday so I came back today with more. When I came today, every single book was gone. Needless to say, the four books I had in my tote bag were the only ones that went in the LL. This has taught me I will have to rearrange my schedule. I am glad though that all the books have your stamp on the title page and on another page inside.
About nine months ago, my library was cleaned out overnight three times. For about a week I brought the books inside my house at night, leaving one book out, usually something really far out, really esoteric. At first even the lone odd book was taken, then I think the person realized it was kind of a gentle joke. Sort of like, “if you insist on taking everything, you’re going to get the weird ones.” Then even the weird book was left alone.
Finally I got tired of bringing them inside and left them out. No trouble since, the last nine months.