Wilton Free Library

Campbell, California

"Little Free Library is a nonprofit community movement in the United States and worldwide that offers free books housed in small containers to members of the local community. It was founded in Hudson, Wisconsin. The idea was conceived by Todd Bol as a tribute to his mother who was a book lover and school teacher. He mounted a wooden container designed to look like a school house on a post on his lawn. Bol shared his idea with his partner Rick Brooks who found many efficient ways to spread the word, and the idea spread rapidly. Library owners can create their own library box, usually about the size of a doll house, or purchase one from the website. Libraries may be registered and assigned a number at the organization's website. Libraries can be found through their GPS coordinates. Owners receive a sign that reads "Little Free Library". They often have the phrase, "Take a Book. Leave a Book." Libraries have been donated to rural areas that have no libraries of their own, or that have been ravaged by disasters. As of 7 March 2012 34 States and 17 countries have been involved. There are currently over 200 Little Free Libraries in the world."

When I first heard of Little Free Library, I knew I needed to build one.

I was able to make the main box out of some used plywood I took down from elsewhere in the house as I've been cleaning up lately.

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The base of the library is 1'x2' and it is 2' tall to the peak of the roof.

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The windows are plastic I've been dragging around for years; so old that it took a while to peel the paper off.

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The roof is made from pieces of redwood I got from John S. from trees he cut on his property.

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The hinge isn't quite right. It could open a bit wider, but it will do. I sort of look at this as the first draft of the library. I have several additions/upgrades in mind including a solar light for night visibility.

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I had some paint left over from this year's burning man project (the Mayan TRIcycle) in yellow and green.

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Here is the site for the new library. It is in front of my apartment in a neighborhood of 4-plexes, right next to a huge apartment complex. I'm uncertain how the library will be received. I'm hoping for the best, but know it only takes one idiot to ruin it for others. This is a BIG social experiment for me.

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This ground hasn't been tended or watered for years. First I wanted to get rid of the dog poop and weeds that were the main groundcover.

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I thought digging the hole for the support post was going to be a trivial task-I've dug more than my share of holes and trenches in 60 years-but every inch of this clay and rock and glass empregnated mix required a pick/axe as the primary tool with the shovel occasionally picking up the crumbs. It took me 3-4 hours to dig 17-18 inches down!!

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I bought a piece of hardware that fit the bottom of the 4x4 with a 3/4" bolt going downward. I sharpened up the bolt like a pencil on a grinder hoping to drive it further into the ground than the mere 18" deep I'd managed to dig. But even as sharp as I made it and after hitting the top of the post with a sledge hammer, I couldn't drive the post more than a couple inches. I finally had to go get my cordless drill and a 3/4" bit and DRILL into the ground to make a hole for the sharp tip to fit into. Tough dirt!

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Yea, I win. Post firmily in the stubborn ground.

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Box mounted. Bookend and door still to add.

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Wilton Drive in Campbell Califonia has a free library with a first collection of books!

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Neighbor Dan stopped by and added some kids books from his daughters.

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If you build it, will they come?

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