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Roslindale gets a tiny little library all its own
By adamg on Thu, 09/11/2014 - 9:25am
Look what popped up outside 185 Cornell St. in Roslindale this week.
"If you take a book, you do not need to return it," the sign atop the box says. "If you leave a book, it is for anyone to take."
Jamaica Plain already has several libraries in a box.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
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Comments
Are these handbuilt
Or are people buying them somewhere? Is it an official network or just a fun, unofficial impromptu thing?
I'm also curious about this
I would love to put one up in my neighborhood.
Many of them are associated
Many of them are associated with http://littlefreelibrary.org/ , but I don't know anything beyond that.
You can order a ready made
You can order a ready made one off of littlefreelibrary.org or you can build one yourself and if you'd like to associate it with the map little free library has, you can order a charter sign through them and register your official library on their site.
Jamaica Plain already has ... ?
was there something else you wanted to say at the end of your post?
There's a link...
There's a link...
Ugh, sorry
Sentence completed!
I'm curious too.
How or from whom do you get permission from to erect these? Do you need a property owner to volunteer space? How can we get one in the West End, DTX, Fort Point, SoBo?
In my fantasy, these would be as ubiquitous as mailboxes or trash receptacles. Or at least as prevalent as Dunkin Donuts and CVS.
There should be Free Little Libraries on every street corner. I don't want to have to walk more than 5 minutes without bumping into a Free Little Library.
*Make sure the Mayor sees this.
The mayor has actually set
The mayor has actually set something up similar that is mobile. There is also a little free library in the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
Not compeltely sure, but...
I think that you can put one of these up on your property without city approval. If you want one to be put up on city property (sidewalk, etc) then you would need to have the city signoff on it.
Now that I think of it, one of these would go very nicely in the front of my house....
Draft. Minutes Sept 17, 2014. Cambridge Public Library Board.
• Ms. Flannery informed the board about the terms of Simon & Schuster’s recent decision to sell econtent to libraries. Their terms require a “buy it now” button to be installed beside each selection in the library’s catalog. Ms. Flannery believes this contravenes the principles of a free public library and the members of MLN agree. She has been charged by Minuteman to draft a letter to Simon & Schuster requesting that they revise this decision and to ALA requesting their support in this matter.
• The Main Library will be celebrating its 5th anniversary in November and a big celebration is being planned for November 6th. We are inviting dignitaries to participate by offering a 5 minute “Ted Talk” on the value of public libraries, the Cambridge Public Library or their own experiences with a public library. We will also have cake and giveaways for the public on Saturday, November 8th, the actual 5th anniversary date.
Draft
Cambridge Public Library
Board of Library Trustees
September 17, 2014
Minutes
http://www.cambridgema.gov/cpl/aboutus/boardoftrustees/Minutes.aspx
A regular meeting of the Board of Library Trustees was held on September 17, 2014 at 6:30 PM in the Trustees’ Room, 449 Broadway. The following members of the Board of Library Trustees were present:
• Janet Axelrod
• William Barry
• Andre Mayer
• Patricia Payne
• James Roosevelt
• Nancy Woods
Also present:
• Susan Flannery, Director of Libraries
• Marilyn Gagalis
Minutes from the June meeting were approved.
Correspondence was acknowledged.
Old Business:
• FY15 meeting dates were discussed and established.
• Susan Flannery informed board members that they will have to submit a letter of interest to the City Manager by the end of September if they are interested in continuing to serve on the Board of Library Trustees. The City Manager has requested that all boards in the city participate in this action to ensure that all appointments are current and that all vacancies are filled.
• Ms. Flannery informed the board about the terms of Simon & Schuster’s recent decision to sell econtent to libraries. Their terms require a “buy it now” button to be installed beside each selection in the library’s catalog. Ms. Flannery believes this contravenes the principles of a free public library and the members of MLN agree. She has been charged by Minuteman to draft a letter to Simon & Schuster requesting that they revise this decision and to ALA requesting their support in this matter.
• A Personnel update was provided for the board by Ms. Flannery
• The O’Connell Branch Library has been granted $300,000 in CPA funds for exterior updates and improvements. These will include windows and exterior restoration.
• The Main Library will be celebrating its 5th anniversary in November and a big celebration is being planned for November 6th. We are inviting dignitaries to participate by offering a 5 minute “Ted Talk” on the value of public libraries, the Cambridge Public Library or their own experiences with a public library. We will also have cake and giveaways for the public on Saturday, November 8th, the actual 5th anniversary date.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Andre Mayer, Secretary
http://www.cambridgema.gov/cpl/aboutus/boardoftrustees/Minutes.aspx
I totally get what your saying but at the same time
here is a map of free libraries in Boston
http://www.bpl.org/graphics/branchmap.jpg
For little free libraries, the general public can pick up the slack (IMHO of course).
Why we can't have nice things Vol. XVI
Until they become full of Masshole's trash, junk flyers, homeless people's possessions, dog poop bags, bird/rat nests, and become drop boxes for community guns/drugs.
And you know this how?
Have you actually seen any of these libraries descend into that sort of urban hell?
Give it time and crappy human
Give it time and crappy human nature will take its course.
If these aren't at accessible height for persons with disabilities or appear in a historic district or someone gets a splinter or feature controversial or copyrighted literature expect a lawsuit to crop up from some offended party.
From everything I read up on
From everything I read up on the little free libraries, this is something a lot of people worry about when setting theirs up, but ultimately they end up having very few issues like that. Also, these libraries have "stewards" who maintain the books and shape of the library.They are not something that is just placed there and forgotten about.
Property owner's permission should be sufficient
Of the three I know in Somerville: the Willoughby Street LFL was a joint project of neighbors on that street; the Kidder Avenue one is in the yard of the person who built it; the Ball Square one was put in a former payphone kiosk by Friends of the Somerville Public Library, but did not survive winter storms and needs to be rebuilt.
No one in Cambridge Gov cares
..about the freecycle book bin on the front steps of my building. There is one batty old lady that leaves strange messes now and then but they are easy to fix.
There were a few good works on the Hapsburgs recently and I have a Faludi look at post 9/11 America from there. It also has vinyl, cd's and other odds and ends that come and go to and fro.
Boston Public Library Copley Square Campus
Boston Public Library Copley Square Campus
http://www.bpl.org/compass/files/2013/08/Volume-1-Executive-Summary.pdf
My Family's Little Free Library!
Hi! My family did not know until today that our Little Free Library was on Universal Hub. It has been a great experience to have our library outside, and it is very popular with people of all ages in the neighborhood. You can read more about its creation here:
http://literacychange.org/2014/09/28/our-little-free-library-built-by-th...
We recently added a new frame to the front.
Best, The Dines Family