Category Archives: Little Free Library

Dear Daughter Got Hitched: Ocean Concrete, Granville Island

Ocean Concrete is Granville Island’s longest established tenant (1917) and they have a splendid mural on their silos. The mural is by Brazilian brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandalfo and was created in 2014. Ocean Concrete is an active industrial use in an area that had been primarily industrial, but in the 1970s it began its transition to a mixed use of retail, education and craftfolks. More about Granville Island can be found on their website.

While dear husband, dear daughter, dear (future and now present) son-in-law were on the island, I also discovered a Little Free Library (8963). The LFL’s owner blogged about it here.

And of course there are a couple of more photos because the island is just that wonderful! As you can see in one store front, it was almost Canada Day (7/1). This is a national holiday. According to Wikipedia, “Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the Constitution Act, 1867 (then called the British North America Act, 1867), which united the three separate colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada.” This particular Canada Day is the 150th anniversary of the original, so of high importance.

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Little Free Library 24274 in Tacoma

imageThis Little Free Library is located in the 1400 block of Prospect Street in Tacoma and is part of the Little Free Library Project. This Little Free is unusual in that it is made of legos including lego figurines. There is a scene on the top and a small lego figurine living unit on the side. Inside their are books for children.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. Per their website, there are now over 25,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. In October 2015 the Little Free Library was honored by the Library of Congress for Creating Communities of Literacy.

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Little Free Library #13705 Tacoma


This Little Free Library is located at 4339 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma and is part of the Little Free Library Project. This Little Free Library has two parts, a children’s box and an adult box, one on each side of the gate to the house. It seems like I always have read at least one title, but not this time. Though I have read several of the authors: Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Mary Dahem and even one Nora Roberts! There are even some little toys for the kids in the children’s box. Also of note is the whimsical found art that is atop of each of the fence posts.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. Per their website, there are now over 25,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates.

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Little Free Library,

imageThis Little Free Library is located at 3215 Centerwood Court SE, Olympia and is part of the Little Free Library Project. This high quality Little Free Library has bright, cheerful colors and inside there are over a dozen books, mostly children’s chapter books. It seems like I always have read at least one title and this time the title was Gone Girl.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. Per their website, there are now over 25,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates.

imageLittle Free Library

 

Little Free Library #7684, Tacoma

imageThis Little Free Library is located at 3815 South Ainsworth Avenue, south of South 38th Street and is part of the Little Free Library Project. This high quality Little Free Library has a lovely varnished wood with details including side windows and a sun. There is a little walk up area also. Inside there are over a dozen books, with an emphasis on good quality children’s chapter books. For the first time, I found a book I actually wanted, Tacoma-Pierce Co Walking Guide.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. Per their website, there are now over 25,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates.

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Little Free Library #9134 and the Boze Community Garden

imageLittle Free Library at the corner of East ‘L’ Street and 68th Street and is part of the Boze Community Garden. It is a well constructed Little Free Library and has about a dozen books, mostly for children.

On the same parcel, there is the Boze Community Garden. More information about Tacoma’s Community Gardens can be found here.

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Little Free Library #14444, Tacoma

imageThe Little Free Library #14444 is at 6720 Park Avenue, Tacoma, across the street from Park Avenue School.  It is cleverly located in a cheerful red newspaper box, the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Inside there are about almost dozen books. The one that I have read for sure is Amy Tam’s Joy Luck Club, but I’m pretty certain that I’ve also read The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd.

What really stood out with this visit was the sidewalk next to the Little Free Library. There was a small stand with three new food products: Shredded Coconut, Panko Breadcrumbs and How & Sweet Pepper Jelly. I don’t know about the coconut, but the other two items were from Trader Joe’s. Those three ingredients can pretty much be used to make Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce. Well, ok then. One does wonder why. They are obviously available for the taking and certainly quality ingredients. And I can see why the milk and chicken wasn’t included, it being hot and all. I guess it will remain a mystery and mysteries are good.

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Little Free Library #8353, Kent and the Neely Soames House

todayMy dentist use to be kind of nearby, but she moved to a new office in Kent and I faithfully followed here. After my appointment, I wandered off to find a park that promised a pirate’s ship (that didn’t happen) and the adjacent Little Free Library. The historic home was just a bonus!

The Neely Soames House is located at 5311 South 237th Place, Kent in a residential area next to the Green River Trail. The house was constructed in 1884 making it the oldest standing residence in Kent. What I loved about the house was the amazing porch and wisteria. Looking at my photo, it looks like a one story house with abundant landscaping, but it is really a two story house with the wisteria almost completely covering the porch. More information including some interior photos can be found here.

The Little Free Library #8353 is around the corner from the Soames House was built by Orval Dealy at the request of the Kent Senior Center. It has a delightful paint job featuring children at the adjacent park. Inside there are about two dozen books, mostly paperback. The titles include The Fountainhead (which yes, I’ve read) in case you were on the lookout for a little light summer reading.

I found this interesting Pinterest Page with Little Free Libraries from around the glove.

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Little Free Library #6267, Tacoma

imageWooHoo! Two Little Free Libraries in a row. Tacoma has a couple of dozen Little Free Libraries which were part of the Little Free Library Project. This Little Free Library was created by a grandfather/granddaughter team is located on the south side of N. 22nd between North Hudson Street and North Ferdinand Street.

This “Little Free Library” is unusual in that it has a two toned blue paint job and some kind of sports boards attached to the side. Inside there are over a dozen books.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. There are now over 15,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. Per the November 2012 website:

Our Mission

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie–and then more. (yes, they made that one!)

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Central Tacoma FREE RADICAL Media Exchange

Little FreeWhen I went to visit my last Little Free Library in November 2012, there were two in Tacoma, this one in the alley between South Anderson Street and South Oakes north of South 19th Street (#666) and the one pictured here http://blog.firsttries.com/little-free-library-tacoma/.

Now Tacoma has a total of four Little Libraries, so they are gaining popularity. Today’s Little Free Library is really more of a midsized free library with three freestanding shelving units and a several shelves towards the top of an outbuilding. Everything is covered with heavy plastic to protect the books from the Northwest rains.

There were a bunch of books in this collection that I’ve read and enjoyed. I picked out two, Ghosts Stores of Washington State and a dog identification book. The dog book I’m giving to a young friend who wants to be a vet when he grows up. In exchange I left a Lemony Snicket blank book for a budding writer. I’ll drop off another title soon (heaven knows I have a couple of books!). Per the Wikipedia article, there are currently over 200 of these libraries. There are building plans to create the containers or participate may design their own. Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. Per the website:

Our Mission

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie–and then more.

Details about the Library Project can be found here: http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/.

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