Steve M.
Mentor
I first saw these in the US over 10 years ago. They generally consists of a small box with a glassed front door on a hinge, filled with books and magazines (some good, many not) that people put in their front yards. The books are free to take and use as you so wish, with the hope that at some point you will fetch replacements and put them back in the little library yourself. Or perhaps read the books and bring them back, burn them on a cold night, whatever. What happens is totally out of anyone's control. Take one, or take them all. While the caretakers of the little libraries may have to occasionally restock them, they appear to be self regulating, in that people just do it themselves.
People show all manner of ingenuity and creativity in making their little libraries unique and attractive. They are often painted up very artistically, their shapes and sizes vary greatly (as does the selection of books proffered), and some even have a small solar panel on their roof, with a switch in the door. At night, if you open the door, a little light comes on like your fridge and shuts off when you close the door. Neat!
I love these. They're a healthy form of underground non commerce. Anything that takes the power out of the government's hands, as well as for-profit corporations, and gives it back to the people in a non commercial form I am all for. If you take money out of the barter equation, it can neither be taxed, policed, nor regulated.
By the way, this subject would make a killer photo book. If it's done properly, and had good photos and amusing stories to go with them, it could sell nicely. I'm just the idea man, someone else will have to do it, and I suspect that it is happening right now, although come to think of it, making a buck off what is a means of free exchange seems unethical in a sense. Aw, just do it, and donate the profits to an animal rescue place.
People show all manner of ingenuity and creativity in making their little libraries unique and attractive. They are often painted up very artistically, their shapes and sizes vary greatly (as does the selection of books proffered), and some even have a small solar panel on their roof, with a switch in the door. At night, if you open the door, a little light comes on like your fridge and shuts off when you close the door. Neat!
I love these. They're a healthy form of underground non commerce. Anything that takes the power out of the government's hands, as well as for-profit corporations, and gives it back to the people in a non commercial form I am all for. If you take money out of the barter equation, it can neither be taxed, policed, nor regulated.
By the way, this subject would make a killer photo book. If it's done properly, and had good photos and amusing stories to go with them, it could sell nicely. I'm just the idea man, someone else will have to do it, and I suspect that it is happening right now, although come to think of it, making a buck off what is a means of free exchange seems unethical in a sense. Aw, just do it, and donate the profits to an animal rescue place.
Michael Markey
Mentor
There`s one in my nearest village of Poulton -le -Fylde .
I`m going to have to investigate .
I`m going to have to investigate .
iphoenix
Well-known
I can't comment on France or the U.S., but in Australia I think the legal fraternity would be very interested in handling potential law suits from diseases/infections gained from handling these books.
Of course, Insurance companies would be less interested.
Sorry about the dampener.
David
johnf04
Well-known
So public libraries don't have toilets, within 1 - 2 minutes walk of their books?
valdas
Mentor
#VilniusSkaito stands for Vilnius reading.
iphoenix
Well-known
Oh Gawd, I'm going to N.Z. in a couple of months.
None that I'm aware of, however any public libraries that I'm aware of are of a decent size, with many thousands of books, with control over the quality of the books handled (most bought new), and with toilets more than 1-2 minutes away, plus having hand washing facilities.
Regards, David
Roger Hicks
Mentor
The reference to public toilets was perhaps too culturally specific: England's "iconic" red telephone kiosks, especially in London, are notorious for often stinking of urine. In my defence, I did refer specifically to the UK.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
John Lawrence
Well-known
I've seen quite a few old 'phone boxes turned into free libraries where I live in the UK.
Some are also being turned into emergency medical centres too:
https://www.communityheartbeat.org.uk/case-histories/phone-box-becomes-emergency-medical-centre
John
Some are also being turned into emergency medical centres too:
https://www.communityheartbeat.org.uk/case-histories/phone-box-becomes-emergency-medical-centre
John
RichC
Well-known
Roger, as I'm sure you've already know, pretty much every red phone box still standing in the UK (mostly in villages and small towns) is now a library or full of free fruit and veg and the like, looked after by the local community. Started happening in the early 90s as I recall, when they started to be phased out (many thousands are still standing, some with preservation orders since they are so iconic and part of our landscape).
Sadly, public loos are still fast disappearing here... (my favourite - the Victorian one at the bottom of Hampstead Heath - is still there, though, complete with original features!)
Sadly, public loos are still fast disappearing here... (my favourite - the Victorian one at the bottom of Hampstead Heath - is still there, though, complete with original features!)
robert blu
quiet photographer
We have very few boxes in Italy for free books exchanges (books crossing), the last I found was in Bormio (Alps) but I didn't manage to take a good photo of it !
robert
robert
Roger Hicks
Mentor
Dear David,
No, it's not "the lawyers".
Lawyers need clients. Often arrogant, stupid, greedy clients, it's true. But don't blame the lawyers for the existence of people like that.
With my LL.B. hat on, I also wonder who would sue whom, for what, on what evidence and under what statute or branch of common law.
Cheers,
R.
charjohncarter
Mentor
We have only one in my town that I know of. And it is in the public library, it also has a public toilet. Some restaurants (coffee shops) have them but they are not well stocked. When I've been to Spain, France and Italy, I have to say the French truly have the best public toilets (by far).
Roger Hicks
Mentor
Thanks, everyone. Fascinating to learn of the different models. It may be just that the model here in France is the first I saw, but it seems to me that a communal/ community model, using old 'phone kiosks is better. Especial thanks thanks to UK readers, where I might reasonably be expected to know more, bit didn't.
Several shelves of books in an old 'phone kiosk or something similar sounds better to me than several small (and expensive) hutches on private lawns: more variety, a smaller percentage turnover. In other words, if I take 5 books from an old 'phone kiosk, there are still plenty of books left; and the 7 that I leave will not overwhelm the remainder that I do not take.
As for the pitiful claims about "tax dollars", a very great American, Oliver Wendell Holmes, wrote "Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society". I realize that a minority of Americans do not want to live in a civilized society, and therefore resent all taxes, but fortunately most civilized people (Americans cheerfully included) prefer civilization to barbarism.
Cheers,
R.
Several shelves of books in an old 'phone kiosk or something similar sounds better to me than several small (and expensive) hutches on private lawns: more variety, a smaller percentage turnover. In other words, if I take 5 books from an old 'phone kiosk, there are still plenty of books left; and the 7 that I leave will not overwhelm the remainder that I do not take.
As for the pitiful claims about "tax dollars", a very great American, Oliver Wendell Holmes, wrote "Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society". I realize that a minority of Americans do not want to live in a civilized society, and therefore resent all taxes, but fortunately most civilized people (Americans cheerfully included) prefer civilization to barbarism.
Cheers,
R.
Roger Hicks
Mentor
That's just taking the p*ss, but it is is true. One of the two in Loudun (population maybe 5500) is in the basement of the magnificent City Hall -- Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité -- under the sweeping steps up to the offices. The other is in the market square. No elitism here!
In the village where I live, there's one public toilet in the corner of the main car park opposite the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) and the other is in the other principal parking place, near the pharmacy, the library, the tourist office and the primary school. The 'phone kiosk in this square is earmarked for the free, open-24-hours library. That's two loos (the Two Loos Low Trick) in a village of maybe 1000 inhabitants. If we can afford it, then so can much richer communities.
Cheers,
R.
Roger Hicks
Mentor
Incidentally, how many books on photography, or featuring photography, has anyone found so for? For me, just one book of photographs and a handful of photographically illustrated books: mostly cookbooks and the occasional biography.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
Dralowid
Michael
I found a Hedgecoe book in the Bosham telephone box library. What I do notice, being costal, are quite a lot of maritime memoirs, nice to have a local slant.
On the 'other' topic touched on earlier see below which reflect so well on the UK's collapsing infrastructure...the report is dated December 2016, the industrial dispute is still going on.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38265860
Erik van Straten
Mentor
My latest visit brought me some first printings of books by famous Dutch authors as W.F. Hermans and Jan Wolkers in nice condition (not far from the place were sometimes Focomats IIc are found).
Erik.
Erik.
Highway 61
Revisited
As friendly as that trend can be, piles of used books randomly left by individuals in abandoned phone kiosks or on shelves built here and there in our cities just cannot be called "libraries" and aren't to be confused with real public libraries services sometimes settled in the streets or in public gardens (or at the beach during the summer).
Also, all public libraries in France are free. All of them are totally free for reading everything you want off their collections of books and newspapers and magazines in their rooms. The same for enjoying all their digital resources (text, music, video, etc) even if you don't own any personal computer. In both cases you haven't to get registered.
Many of them also offer some 100% free registration for physically borrowing and downloading what you want at home (using an ID and a PW).
For some of them, the registration isn't free but will cost you the price of a new pocketable book, for one year of service.
Phone kiosks converted into free books shelves are something friendly and I have something like that in the lobby of the refectory where I use to have my lunch. So far I found three of four interesting books there and I also left some of mine, for someone to take them. But by no means can it be called a "public library".
About alternative offers for people living away from any real public library, see also :
https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/ideasbox/
Also, all public libraries in France are free. All of them are totally free for reading everything you want off their collections of books and newspapers and magazines in their rooms. The same for enjoying all their digital resources (text, music, video, etc) even if you don't own any personal computer. In both cases you haven't to get registered.
Many of them also offer some 100% free registration for physically borrowing and downloading what you want at home (using an ID and a PW).
For some of them, the registration isn't free but will cost you the price of a new pocketable book, for one year of service.
Phone kiosks converted into free books shelves are something friendly and I have something like that in the lobby of the refectory where I use to have my lunch. So far I found three of four interesting books there and I also left some of mine, for someone to take them. But by no means can it be called a "public library".
About alternative offers for people living away from any real public library, see also :
https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/ideasbox/
Roger Hicks
Mentor
Then again, what else can you call them?
I fully agree that they are no substitute for proper public libraries, but they can exist alongside them. As they do in France. Sure, a lot of the books are crime novels and the like. So? It's an interesting example of material superabundance.
Increasingly, at vide greniers (swap meets, car boot sales), I have seen goods being given away -- "Gratuit" -- alongside stuff being sold.
Cheers,
R.
Big Ursus
Well-known
They're free, unbranded, and in public spaces in Edmonton, Alberta, too. Individuals appear to have set them up here. I've used them to swap books for a couple of years. I've seen no photo books yet, but I'll try to remember to donate some this week.
BTW, I love our city's free (not even a membership fee!) public libraries.
BTW, I love our city's free (not even a membership fee!) public libraries.