The world has been growing more and more connected, ever since the invention of the Internet. As great as it may be to enjoy the wonders of the Net, there is still something to be said about a leisurely read of a book, turning page after page without the temptation to scroll through. Reading books is known to foster skills like empathy and critical thinking as well, and it has become clear that these skills are lacking more and more in society. Well, let’s have a look at what the non-profit organization called Little Free Library is doing about all this, shall we…
Many Little Free Libraries
Little Free Library is a non-profit organization that has been doing all it can to help ensure that the love of books is kept alive by building a reading community and by sparking creativity and inspiring a passion for reading. The organization enables book exchanges to occur across the globe and there are more than 75,000 libraries established in 88 countries thus far! These thousands of libraries are not all created equal, though – one of them has a special story behind it, and it’s the one created by a family living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
The Brains Behind The Entire Project
Meet Sharalee Armitage Howard. She is a librarian and a former bookbinder. Sharalee is also an artist, and to be a good artist requires plenty of creativity and imagination. One day, Sharalee’s eyes rested on a tree stump, and any artist can tell you (and maybe an art class, too) that just about any arbitrary thing can spark creativity! For Sharalee, the 110-year-old dead tree that was outside her house seemed to have so much potential to be something greater. It crossed her mind that it could serve as something far more beneficial to the community…
The Wonderful Cottonwood Tree
The amazing thing about this old 110-year-old tree stump was simply that – it was 110 years old! The tree had far exceeded its life span. In fact, the natural life span of a regular cottonwood tree is actually just 40-50 years, but this tree had simply outdone itself! It was almost as if the tree had known that greatness was in store for it. Maybe it was simply designed that way because there was some contribution it was destined to make to the community and it was Sharalee who was the chosen person to help make that come true! Well, whatever it was, it was amazing!
The Higher Potential
The tree stump was in her yard, in a space which could probably have been used far better had it not been there. If Sharalee hadn’t rested her eyes on the stump and the idea of doing something fantastic with it struck her that day, who knows what would have become of the old stump! Without a doubt, it would have been destroyed and removed, and that would have meant it would not become the beautiful thing that it ended up being, and bringing about the changes that it ended up causing…
New Life Arises From Death
It has been a lesson that has been around for time immemorial – that new life comes from death, and so many times, we have to remind ourselves of this. Well, one look at the transformation of the old tree stump that Sharalee transformed into a wonderful, functional thing and you, too, will learn that indeed, it is true that new life comes from death! After this cottonwood tree died, most people saw nothing but a dead tree, but Sharalee breathed new life into the stump and helped make use of it for many, many more years! We're sure that anybody who would see if for the first time couldn't help but smile.
Sharalee Couldn't Contain Her Excitement
Sharalee simply couldn’t contain her excitement about making something wonderful out of the old tree stump that was simply going to be removed. Likely using her phone, she took some shots and went to Social Media to share her joy – and her Facebook post went viral! In her post, she shared that her work wasn’t yet complete, but she shared her idea and that was more than enough for some people to get just as excited as Sharalee was about the project and they couldn’t wait to see its completion! Sharalee had already gotten started with removing unnecessary vegetation around the area and had trimmed whatever needed trimming and had done some clean-up.
Carving Out the Core
The old cottonwood stump could not be damaged too much during the modeling of this project. Sharalee wanted to preserve as much character of the old tree as she could and the best way to achieve that was to carve the tree from the inside out. The carved stump was then topped with a neatly put together roof and cozy lighting was installed to create an inviting little space within the stump. Of course, exterior lighting was necessary as well and this too was taken care of. The finished product was truly something out of a fairy-tale book. The stump had been transformed into one of the most creative and cutest little rooms the world had ever seen!
A Lovely Lantern
The exterior lighting that was installed was not just put in to fulfill the obvious purpose of illuminating the outside of the little library. In fact, a lot more thought was placed into the exterior lighting than one would at first think. The light is a lantern, and it is a very inviting one, too. Every effort was put in designing the little room that would make it comfortable and welcoming and that included the lantern at the top of the front door, which seemed to invite whoever would be passing by to come inside!
Characteristic Stone Steps
Being such a large tree, the root system was exceptionally well developed – especially since seeing that the tree had lived twice as long as it should have. This huge root system left plenty of height between the stump and the ground, as the many decades of wind and rain had weathered away much of the soil around the tree. Of course, the roots protected the soil near the stump and as a result, the stump was a bit higher off the ground than normal. The solution? Well, without consulting a textbook, the obvious answer was to install steps! Stone steps were a great choice, as they were rustic and earthy, and didn't clash with the stump’s charm.
An Inviting Door
While this fantastic library would still have been phenomenal had it had any old door hung on it, the fact that a special door was chosen for the little library made it even better. The door was painted in an attractive white color – eye-catching and classic. But what made it fabulous was the fact that it had glass panels, through which you could see the inviting books neatly stacked on shelves, waiting to be read and perused at one’s leisure! The door was the cherry on top of a very inviting cake!
Decorative & Functional Lighting
The warm glow that emanated from each shelf was quite a sight to behold! The lighting was installed on each of the shelves as well outside the door, which simply added to the comforting and inviting feel of the space and made it that much cozier to stand and look for a good read. The lighting helped create a lovely ambiance, and of course, a little more light when looking for your perfect book for your mood couldn’t hurt! The lighting was a neat feature – functional, yet decorative at the same time!
A Range of Books, Across All Genres
This snapshot shows some of the books resting on the shelf of the little tree stump library. As can be seen, if you read through the titles of the books that are there, there is something for everyone on the shelf! All of the shelves in the little trees tump library are full of several different kinds of books from every genre and for every age. The idea is that the little library should cater to anybody of any background, culture, age, and interest. Perhaps people could even develop new interests when they read through some of the materials in the tree stump’s collection!
The Need For More Books
Upon closer inspection of the shelves in the little library, it becomes quite evident that there is plenty of room for more of them. Of course, with Sharalee’s post about her idea of creating a library out of the stump going viral, there must be plenty of people willing to help add to the little stump’s collection (in money or in-kind)! It was simply a matter of getting the word around. In time, the books would have to be exchanged so that there would be new material to keep people coming back to borrow something read from the little nook!
A Clever Decoration
A very cute and very clever decorative feature on the little tree stump library is the miniature carvings of classic novels that adorn the top of the door leading into the tree stump. The idea is creative, inspirational, and above all, it reminds us that books have been around for a long, long time and that we should honor the tradition of tales. The best way to do it is through sharing the passion for reading! The Internet may have the classics, but it cannot replicate the tradition of paging through the stories with your parents at bedtime.
Inspiring the Youth
Here is a close-up shot of the miniature carvings of the classic novels. Pictured here is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. These novels are examples of fascinating tales that were written many years ago – they are part of the history of literature. If we are not careful, they may even be lost forever. Having the little carvings adorn the doorway may spark an interest in the new generation, who may otherwise not be exposed to these titles since they are exposed more to browsing the Net on their mobile devices!
Remembering the Greatest Authors
Here is a close up of Call of the Wild – another timeless classic that would be a pity to lose in this age of technology! Hopefully, the tiny materials do encourage younger minds to look through the classics, and maybe even remind some of the older minds of some of the best reads in history. Either way, it’s great to give a nod towards the authors of great novels who are no longer around – just to share that they are not forgotten and that their work is still appreciated, even by the coming generations!
It Couldn't Be Easier
While we recognize the need for a library card when a person is interested in borrowing books from the library, it cannot be ignored that this often results in fewer people ever borrowing books from the library at all. It sure is easy to make out a library card, but not everyone wants to take the time to do it. The fact that the tree stump library doesn’t require any library cards is that much awesome – it is inviting even to those who won’t spare a few moments to fill some forms! Hence, it's like an "honesty" or honor system at work!
More Ideas Like the Little Library
The little library book exchanges are based on an honor system, and it is simply that anyone who feels they can contribute to the collection of books is welcome to do so. It is necessary that as many people as possible are interested in keeping the range of books interesting, changing it up and adding and removing books such that there is continued interest in what is available. The website for the little library explains this idea, and with the website explanation and Sharalee’s viral post, it is hoped that this is honored!
Making a Difference By Making Knowledge Accessible & Fun
Knowledge is power and absolutely the key in life. So whenever an opportunity arises to help another to gain knowledge, it is always the right thing to do to help make it happen and take advantage of that opportunity. That is what Sharalee is doing now with the old tree stump, and now all kinds of people can go there to learn something. Sharalee has helped make a difference by making knowledge accessible to more people – instead of them just taking advantage of the Internet for what they are interested in. People might just learn a thing or two that they don't expect by simply perusing the materials in the little library.
Small But Important Projects
Yes, the ‘little tree library’ project was a small one, but it was by no means the only small project that was worth seeing to completion. There were countless other great ideas that never made it to completion simply because there were no funds to bring the dream to reality. Libraries are often underfunded and ultimately, looking at what became of the old tree stump, it makes one wonder just how much can be done if we ensure that small, meaningful projects obtain the funding they need to see completion and make a difference in people’s lives! A small amount of money can go a long way.
Growing Popular
The little tree library gained popularity and dare we say it became a little famous! Sharalee’s post on Facebook about her project piqued the interest of thousands of people – it was a post that was shared more than 102,000 times! That’s the record of those who have shared the actual post, but just think about all those 100,000 people and how many people each of them told by word of mouth! Well, it became famous alright! And for a good reason – it was nifty, clever, and absolutely adorable! Everyone has some kind of memory about books either with their family or school, so it appeals to all!
Just Jesting
Some people actually took to Social Media with some clever jokes and comments about the little library. One user commented about visiting the tree stump library when you’re ‘stumped’ and need to look up a thing or two! These clever comments show that people were inspired by the place and that there is certainly that hope of reviving a passion for reading! Jokes like this one shared by ‘bfloblizzard’ also help in making it all the more interesting and giving people more to talk about! Of course, Social Media monitoring also helps in this case, as more and more netizens are drawn into the loop.
Clever Jokes
While piquing the interest of some, Sharalee’s idea triggered the humor in others – one comment by ‘discerningpervert’ is particularly imaginative and rather funny actually. He (or she) describes the little library as a “treehouse of horror," picturing the stump as a ‘corpse’ within which the books are nestled in, and even likens the books to ‘processed remnants’ of the ‘corpse’s’ friends or family. It's amusing and makes you smile because it's a rather interesting way to look at things! But we'd like to think of it as a sort of meeting place – the tree stump gets to meet all kinds of trees that it otherwise would never have met had it been chopped down and discarded or recycled!
Some Concerned Comments
Another commenter expressed some concerns over what local authorities would have to say about the tree stump library. In truth, a building does need to meet regulations and have building plans and all sorts of other regulations and passes to be met before it can be a functional and recognizable building. But hopefully, the local authorities will not deal with the little tree stump library so seriously, and perhaps they too will see the world of good that it brings to the community. Let's hope they turn a blind eye to the obvious regulations that have not been met. Let's also hope that a lawyer won't be necessary...
Sharing the News
When word started getting around, Sharalee came to discover that she wasn’t the first to have thought of such an idea. Another commenter shared that there was a similar concept that existed near where they lived as well. The commenter describer a penny box type of thing, in which people donated books to fill up the place, from which one could freely choose whatever it is they wanted to read. The commenter also shared that they had found very interesting reads in the box and that they tried to make the collection in the "box" as varied and interesting as possible to benefit interested readers.
Germany's Doing It!
A commenter living in Germany decided to share with everyone that there are several such ‘little libraries’ around Germany as well. It's been said that they are nearly always almost entirely full, But that makes us wonder whether they are full because people are actually reading the books and donating some more, or because nobody is removing any books from the library, letting them accumulate! Well, that would need to be looked into but it is great to know that the idea is working in other parts of the world and that the effort is being made to keep the community interested in books!
A Winning Idea for Sharalee!
The little tree library that Sharalee envisioned, created and completed in Cour d ‘Alene is successful and has brought something great to the neighborhood. Sharalee is glad that she's shared her project on the Internet and spread the word, and she is happy with the support she has received and the responses (see what crowdfunding could do!). Undoubtedly, she is pleased to know that others are making the same efforts as she is. Also, she hopes that she inspires more people to make a difference in their communities, too. Sometimes, there are opportunities hiding in unlikely places – like when you need to get rid of an old tree stump!