Inspiration Station Kelly Bennett Inspiration Station Kelly Bennett

What Inspires Me? Reading Free

I just celebrated my 4th Anniversary as a Little Free Library Steward. It began selfishly. As a way for me to cull my overflowing book collection. Frankly, in those first several months, I was my best library customer.

Then CoVid shutdown came, and with it library and bookstore closings. During that time, my library was the only book source in town! And, suddenly, instead of dwindling stock, I found myself curating stacks of donations. Sure, a few visitors used it as a dump for raggedy outdated textbooks and computer programing manuals. But most donations were gently read and some even included reviews and notes:

“Read Me! You’ll be glad you did””
— Note included with NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson

Confession: I judiciously cull my library offering. Yes, I even ban some books from it.

  • I ban books I think are poorly written.

  • I ban some books I found boring.

  • I ban books that BIPOC friends find offensive.

  • I ban pamphlets.

  • I ban religious material folks slip in. (Not because I object to said material. More because I’ve made a decision to keep my library non-secular.)

  • I ban non-PG books.

As we all know—I’m not the only one banning books. And this might sound hypocritical, but this horrifies me. Towns defunding libraries because librarians refuse to ban books. Towns firing or “polietly” shoving out librarians who refuse to take “banned” books off their shelves….McFarland, CA seriously considering shutting the library—and turning it into a police station.

This, I can do something about. And every one of us with a Little Free Library can do something about. Because we are the stewards of our own Little Free Libraries. We can act!

We can stock banned books.

If you’ve got books! It you love books! If you like sharing books! Then there are 2 things you should consider doing:

  1. Support your local library and librarian’s choices to purchase, stock and share books by diverse authors and on diverse subjects.

  2. Steward your own Little Free Library. It’s fun. It’s rewarding. You can stock it with books that are being banned for the wrong reasons…and help keep reading free!

Besides, Little Free Libraries are so flippin’ creative, cute, clever….cool. Here are 36 Cool Little Free Library Designs. See for yourself.

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