From Sheila Hoffman [email protected]

We are fortunate on Capitol Hill to have more than 30 Little Free Libraries (LFL) scattered around our neighborhood. Each is a unique labor of love. I’ve lived on Capitol Hill since 1979. Over the years I’ve greatly enjoyed browsing these gems, mostly taking books and occasionally dropping off one or two.

There is now a new one to check out on 12th Avenue.

In the off chance you have no idea what I’m talking about here’s the official explanation: “A Little Free Library is a “take a book, share a book” free book exchange. They come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share. Every Little Free Library book exchange has a unique, personal touch.”

As we approached our fifth anniversary living in our intentional community, Capitol Hill Urban Cohousing, on 12th Avenue, we decided to explore creating a LFL at our location. We wanted it to bring people together. Members of our community constructed it with donated materials. We joined the LFL Stewards Facebook Group to learn about how to set it up and registered our library on their searchable international map. About a month ago we launched and immediately attracted a lot of visitors due to our high foot traffic location. We’d been collecting books within our community to get it started. Since then the books have flown off the shelves. Fortunately we have been generously supported by Twice Sold Tales and Elliott Bay books who both have donated books.

We hope that now that you know about our new LFL you’ll come check it out, take a book and/or share a book. Book donations gratefully accepted. Books do seem to go out at a much higher rate than they come in! If you too are a LFL Steward on Capitol Hill I’d love to hear from you. Send a message via our website or FB page. Thanks.

HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.

Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month.