Adding to the Library

I am working on my Little Free Library collection.  It's a rather fun hobby, gathering books and sharing them with others.

The first incarnation of my LFL (in all its neon turquoise glory) died a sad death when it twisted its door off its frame one windy day.  Plus, it became a rather hodge-podge collection of worthy mysteries, some cookbooks, and a couple of interesting tomes about the Dali Lama.  Good reading, but not quite the themed library I wanted...although, to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what that theme was.

Now, after some deliberations, I have decided on a couple of things:

1.  The Library will be housed in a smaller cupboard, like a smaller kitchen cabinet type.  A posting to the area list-serv (kind of like a friendly neighbor craigslist or freecycle) found me a free cabinet, which should get dropped off this weekend.

2.  The Library will be a collection of "useful books", including farming texts, gardening, chicken care, and the like.  I'm kind of excited and feel like a "real librarian" as I search for used copies of some handy titles to include in the collection.  A few I've liked so much, I decided I needed to provide a copy for others to read (while hanging jealously onto my own).  Others, I heard about from other people and thought they'd make a great addition.  I mean, who wouldn't like paging through a text called Homemade Contrivances and How to Make Them,  Farm Appliances, or Hortus Miscellaneous?  I'm going to be sure to add a couple of my favorite farm memoirs, including this one:

There is something so peaceful about reading someone's farm story.  It makes me hopeful for how my own might read someday.

3.  A small investment will be made in return address labels, to be pasted in each book.  It would be great if the books eventually found their way back home, to be shared out again.  Even if they don't, people who come across them might want to know where the Little Library is, to check out other copies.

I do so like releasing literature out into the world.  It's remarkably liberating!