Challenge #30 Take a Book, Leave a Book

About two years ago, I noticed a strange looking--well, maybe not strange, it was just a strange thing to appear where it did--cute, a cute looking large wooden box hung on a telephone pole next to the driveway of my neighbor about a mile away.  This box had a door on the front with a window that took up most of the door.  Looking through the window, I could see that in the box were books.  Lots of books.  Two shelves full of books.

Underneath this box was a sign, with letters large and visible enough to be read from the road:

Take A Book, Leave A Book

Hmm, I thought, that's neat.  What a cool idea.  A place where neighbors can swap books at their leisure, and without any worries of someone else seeing (and possibly judging) their reading preferences.  One of these days I'll have to find a book at home that I don't plan to read again, take it over there, and see what title in the box I might want to exchange it for.

But I never got around to it.  In my defense, it is located in a direction I only take about 20% of the time I leave this little place here.  So, not like I'm driving by every day.  And the majority of the times I did drive that way, I had forgotten to bring a book with me to leave in place of the one I might take.

A few months after seeing that strange cute box down at the neighbor's, I noticed a similar one go up a few blocks down from the church I attend.  Slightly different design and paint job, but still a box with a front door, big window on the door, two shelves of books, and the big sign:

Take A Book, Leave A Book

Intrigued, I did what most people these days do, and I Googled the phrase.  Seems this Take a Book, Leave a Book thing is huge.  Like, you can find them in neighborhoods pretty much all over the United States, and even in other countries.  All free, all on the honor system.  You bring a book you wish to swap, and in exchange you may take home a book from the box that interests you.

There is even a website with a map and list of locations where they can be found (apparently if you would like to start one, you can register it with this group.)  Officially they are known as a Little Free Library. If you click on the link, you can read all about how they started, how they work, how to start one in your area, how to build the box (if you desire) or how to order one, and you can access the map to see if there is all ready one (or more!) near you.

So, this week's challenge to myself is to go down the road to my nearest Little Free Library, and then Take A Book, Leave A book.  My challenge for you is to go do the same if you know of one near where you live, work, shop, or worship; or, if you aren't aware of one, go to the website and look at the map to find the location of the one closest to you.

It's a win-win.  You get to swap a book you no longer want for one that you do.  For free!!  No money involved!  Or, if you don't see anything on the shelf today that you are interested it, you can still leave a book or two you wish to be rid of (decluttering, anyone?) and then come back at a later date and see if there is anything new that you would like.

What are you waiting for?  What in the world have I been waiting for?!? Get out there and
Take A Book, Leave A Book