The Book Builders
Books are kind of my thing. I write nonfiction books for children. I edit professional books for teachers. For the last few years, I’ve made books as gifts for my kids for Hanukkah. I even took a class last summer at the Winter Park Public Library to learn how to fold tiny squares of paper into tinier-but-adorable mini-books. I like books.
It seemed fitting, then, that my pet project for Temple Israel’s Mitzvah Day this past spring was to build a Little Free Library (LFL) outside of the synagogue to share more books with more people. You’ve probably seen one of these neighborhood book exchanges at a park or even on someone’s front lawn. You simply give a book or take a book – or both. The Little Free Library nonprofit organization estimates that LFLs encourage the exchange of millions of books each year, all while “increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds.” Awesome, right?
But building stuff is not really my thing. And the ready-made LFLs on the organization’s website cost a few hundred dollars, which wasn’t in the Mitzvah Day budget. So, I set out to find a cheap, used cabinet and build a LFL from scratch. That happened fairly quickly, thanks to the letgo app. I knew I could count on my husband Andrew to do not only the labor, but also the Pythagorean theorem – also not my thing – to ensure that the plans I got from the LFL website would work for our slightly larger, custom library. My daughter Tilly designed a bookworm-themed picture, which my son Adam helped her paint on the back of the cabinet. Both kids also donated a bunch of books from their own shelves to help fill the library.
It was definitely a family affair. But it couldn’t have happened without congregational support, as well. When I first started planning Mitzvah Day and brought up the idea of installing a Little Free Library to the board of directors, a few members understandably raised security concerns. The LFL would be several hundred feet away from our building and facing the street, but we had to consider the possibility that someone could put something dangerous inside an unlocked cabinet by a synagogue. Honestly, I haven’t seen any LFLs outside of synagogues. But after some research and discussion, Temple Israel’s security committee felt confident that the congregation would be safe. In fact, Rabbi Neely said that installing a Little Free Library only shows the community we are a friendly neighbor that cares about our fellow neighbors. The chair of the building and grounds committee helped me find the perfect spot, where I wouldn’t be at risk of digging into any pipes or cables and where administrative staff would pass by each day to make sure all was well. I got the all-clear to move ahead.
On Sunday, May 19, after a few weeks of sawing and painting, we installed our Little Free Library outside the front of the synagogue facing Moss Road. The installation occurred during a worldwide Little Free Library weekend celebrating the movement’s 10-year anniversary. While my husband and I were installing the library (my son’s excitement over using the post diggers lasted about five minutes before he moved on to Pokémon GO), several people who live in the neighborhood came up to us to express their excitement about having a place within walking distance where they could donate and borrow books. The closest public library is five miles away.
Once I saw that our LFL wouldn’t topple over, I registered our location with the Little Free Library organization, and we received our charter sign and LFL number a couple of weeks later. The Temple Israel Little Free Library was official! And I am now considered a LFL steward, which is the coolest title I’ve ever had.
Now, we have had a few hiccups. After just a week outside, the top of the book cabinet required wood reinforcement and shingles to better withstand the Florida sun and rain. The guest book I put inside the LFL for people to sign was stolen (I know, I know – give a book, take a book, but I didn’t mean that book!). Still, everything is staying dry, and new books are being shared. One of the books my kids donated was a PJ Library book they had an extra copy of called Chik Chak Shabbat. It’s about a diverse community that comes together to help a neighbor. I like to think the Temple Israel Little Free Library has already helped neighbors and built community in its short life so far. Maybe building is my thing.