Community members interested in hosting their own Little Free Library can now receive financial assistance from the Friends of Chanute Library to start their own.
“We wanted a better way to spread the love of reading and books,” Jeana Lawrence, library director, said. “Starting your own Little Free Library can be expensive so we wanted to help others get started in making their own.”
A Little Free Library is essentially a wooden shed set on a post filled with free books to give out to community members. Some libraries may also be refurbished from old cabinets or display cases, and painted with bright colors or designed to the owner’s preference.
Instructions and templates can be found online as well as kits that have everything a resident might need for installing a Little Free Library. The national Little Free Library organization offers such kits with different materials and designs for purchase. However, these kits and the cost of materials may go anywhere from $50 to $150, depending on the materials used.
Once a library has been installed, residents can apply for the grant and receive $75 to help offset initial startup costs. Residents are also able to use free books from the FOCL book sale at the Chanute Public Library to fill their libraries whenever they need it. FOCL will give out ten grants every year going forward for Little Free Libraries.
“We hope many residents apply for this opportunity,” Lawrence said. “It would be great to have as many Little Free Libraries across Chanute as possible.”
FOCL also maintains two additional Little Free Libraries, one located at the NMRMC Rehabilitation and Fitness Center and one located at the Maring Aquatic Center.
The first Little Free Library started in 2009 and its national organization has more than 150,000 registered book-sharing boxes. Little Free Libraries are volunteer-led and have distributed more than 300 million books worldwide.
Find the grant application here or fill out online. Picture proof of Little Free Library installation is required before reimbursement. For more questions, please call the library or speak with the director.