Few public institutions have been hit harder by the coronavirus pandemic than public libraries. Because libraries bring people close together and have lots of places where the virus can live, community leaders had little choice but to close them. Even with the pandemic easing somewhat as more people receive vaccines, most public libraries remain closed or operate with strict limitations. However, there is another type of facility that continues to make books available to the public — Little Free Libraries. Though they vary in size and shape, these little literary hubs provide a relatively safe way to acquire books during the pandemic.

Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin built the first of these libraries in 2009. It was essentially a model of a one-room schoolhouse with empty space inside. He placed the model in his front yard and filled it to the brim with books, so neighbors, friends, and people just passing by could pick one they found interesting. Bol did make one request: If you take a book, leave a book. The idea caught on in part because these libraries got people talking about the books they were reading and sharing with others. Today, there are over 50,000 Little Free Libraries making books available to people in 70 different countries.

Columbus has over 100 Little Free Libraries, and Worthington, where I live, has at least 14 spread throughout its neighborhoods. People who want one in front of their house can build their own or order a ready-to-assemble kit from the Little Free Libraries’ website at https://littlefreelibrary.myshopify.com. There are a number of books that offer guidance on how to build one of these little structures from start to finish. The Little Free Libraries I have seen in Worthington show a lot of creative flair. Some bring to mind Bol’s little red schoolhouse while others resemble large medicine cabinets or small tool sheds. Many have eye-catching images on the top, such as a flower or cat decoration. Whatever its design, each little library is positioned on a pole or some other secure platform. It also has a door with a glass window, which allows a reader to see the titles of the books inside.

As far as I can tell, there is no restriction on the types of books one may put into a Little Free Library, although I suspect anything pornographic would be unwelcome. I recently checked the books inside the one at East Granville Park and found a wide range of titles. They included The Runaway King (Sword and Sorcery Fantasy), Pangs of Love (Contemporary Fiction), Rekindled (Religious Historical Fiction), A Heart Revealed (Christian Romance), Pregnancy and Birth: Your Questions Answered (Medical Nonfiction), City of Ember (Children’s Fiction), Coming Attractions (YA Romance), and Slacks and Calluses (Military History).

People who decide to make a Little Free Library available to their neighbors are encouraged to register it through https://littlefreelibrary.org/registration-process. A registered library will receive a charter sign and number as well as a place on the Little Free Library World Map. The owner receives recognition as a library “steward” and becomes eligible for a number of benefits through the registration-process website.