If you have ever wandered off the beaten college path, you may have found yourself navigating the winding roads in the neighborhoods that surround central campus.
Through the slim gaps of the evergreens, sounds of the rustling of squirrels digging for their buried acorns or occasional squeak of a bicyclist hitting their brakes, your attention may be drawn to a chest-high wooden box, seemingly misplaced off to the edge of the sidewalk.
As you approach this eye-catching object, you read the bronze plaque placed at the top of the wood that states, “Little Free Library: Take a Book, Share a Book.”
Within the wooden box is a plethora of books. From hardcover cookbooks to paperback murder mystery novels, the small box of tall stature has become a home for all genres of literature.
What is Little Free Library?
Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota that works to build community through literature. State College has become home for over 50 of these free libraries, which are upkept by members of the community who are passionate about accessible literature.
These libraries are just as the name of the organization suggests: free. In a world where book bans have become the norm and where literature has become more inaccessible, it has become imperative for many to build communities where everyone has access to books.
There is no charge to take a book from this small library, just the encouragement for the reader to reciprocate this act of kindness and replace the taken book with one of their own. When wandering upon one of these little libraries, it may be the case that you do not have a book to replace the one you wish to take. In preparation for this, the Little Free Library has recruited members of the community to ensure these libraries are constantly stocked. In a college town like this one, that poses no difficulty.
Endless Genres at Your Fingertips
So, if you find yourself thumbing through a cookbook or reading the back of a murder mystery novel that you came across on your journey off campus, take it with you! Whether you have a replacement book or not, there is no worry. These books are here for you, this space one that was created to further your appreciation for literature.
Each of these libraries has its own literature to offer, no two being alike. Whenever you find yourself wandering through these neighborhoods, admiring the Victorian Era homes, be sure to have a book in your backpack. That way, when you come across a Little Free Library, there is no hesitation in taking a book and sharing a book, contributing to the vital preservation of literature.
Have you ever come across a Little Free Library? Tag us @VALLEYmag on Instagram and let us know where you spotted it!
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A Love Letter to the Pattee and Paterno Library
Walks to Remember
Your Guide to the “Hot Girl Walk”
