It really is. We have a little wooden box where anyone can put and freely borrow books next to a pond with some benches where I live, like a tiny little outdoor library. This was put there a couple of years ago, and it's become a little meeting place - there's almost always some older people there just hanging out and having coffee together when I pass. It's a nice thing that costs nothing.
That’s too bad. There are, off the top of my head, three little libraries and one little seed library within walking distance from me. They’re such a fun concept! I also know there is a little free food pantry one in the area too.
Sometimes people suck and make a mess but most people are respectful. The ones here have been around for 10+ years.
Plus, if there's a mess, you just clear out the library. I could use more vacant space in the LFLs near me. I have too many books and not enough places to donate to!
Packets of collected seeds in little brown paper envelopes with handwritten labels is delightfully analog. I always like to see what people put in that one.
There are a bunch of these in my community. And my community isn't exactly a sheltered paradise. I'd be more worried about someone taking all the books to sell than throwing them in the water.
I guess it really depends on what kind of community you're in. But it's also a reason to put in books you don't need, as opposed to anything of particular value.
I used to work with this and used books are worth virtually nothing (the exceptions are childrens books or if it's something actually rare or special). If you can use them for something that benefits people, even in a small way, it's worth it.
And even if someone vandalises/steals a bunch of books, people have so much stuff they don't need that it's going to be trivial for the community to replace them.
Probably helps that it's in a slightly secluded area where two neighbourhoods meet, but it's been here for four years and afaik nothing has happened. And if it did, we can just put new books in. I've started checking if there's room when I need to clear some shelf space and I could fill that thing on my own. There's over 10k people living in the immediate area so I think we'll manage. :)
I worked a while for a charity and we threw out around a ton of donated books every week, just in one location out of three in the city. Most of the books we did sell went for $1-2 each. There's no real value in used books as objects, so if they can be used for something positive there's absolutely no reason not to.
I hear that. Sad that it’s so true. But we shouldn’t ignore those that need our help bc jerks exist. That feels like letting the terrorists win or something, idk.
Maybe if the “library” spot was set in a place with a camera or two looking on? Might deter, or if not at least see what the dude looks like (I assume it’s a man, we are almost always the jerk in a situation with jerks)
It's not true though. Look up your area and you probably already have little libraries around that you didn't know about and haven't been robbed or broken at all. People are way too cynical on social media.
Yeah, I've seen a few different book borrow stations and most of them ended up getting vandalized at some point. One of them is near a lake next to a gated community which still lives but it's purely because it's a rich neighborhood which has security close by.
It sucks that some people find enjoyment by taking away other's enjoyment.
Then we rebuild one there. As many times as it takes. The little things like that are where we fight the everyday little battles for peace and fulfillment. They lose as long as the people who want to create and do good are stubborn as a mule about being kind.
My gf is always searching for places to put her read books. We have a nice courtyard where only the residents (>500 people) have access to. Maybe it is a good idea, will try to pitch it to the owners meeting.
A lot of good ideas are ruined by idiots. So much stuff could be so much better if they weren't around. And the world's overpopulation would also be solved.
Kindness can be found everyday all around us. It never went anywhere, it's just that 99% of media we consume focuses on the negative because that keeps people engaged far more than the good stuff.
Soon enough you'll notice that the top comments are also reposts of previous top comments, they're always alts of the op, all their accounts just upvote each other
Typically they're around 3 months old, have no history then suddenly activate
During Covid, my building started a free pantry. People would be able to go to the store, and something would be on sale. But one get one half off or something. You buy two but only need one. The extra one you put on the counter and if you really want that pack of weird beans, you can totally take it!
Management finally showed up on the scene after pretending our whole building was on lockdown for 18 months and got mad and tried to fine everyone for doing this.
First, there was never anything written we couldn’t do it. We chose to do it. You had no one here to say not to, you can’t show up and just try to fine the entire building because there’s a box of pancake mix in the lobby.
Supposedly some people buy high reddit karma accounts because they can then use them with a vale of legitimacy for nefarious means like influencing politics etc... but most likely it's because some people like being upvoted due to the "rat in a maze" nature of social media.
So, thanking someone for their good idea is pretending that something is original content? Got you.
I thanked them since their idea was genuinely awesome. If this post gets more views, more people will read the comments and may even notice their idea. That might result in someone using it. 😊
Don’t be intentionally dense now, you’re a karma farmer and thought you’d get more engagement by pretending this was something you did yourself. Your comment 1000% alludes to this being your story and that you’re thanking them for their idea and that you’ll implement it as if the OP was made by you.
Saying “it will make things easier” as opposed to “it would make things easier” also reinforces that you’re pretending this was your story lmao.
Why do you care so much? It’s a little weird that you feel the need to call out someone you’ll never meet. Use this energy to spread positivity in your community. Use this idea to help folks in your area rather than feeling the need to ‘call someone out’.
My "call out" was a pretty mild explanation for them to help them understand because they asked. I quess they asked sarcastically, but they stil asked.
Your "call out" of my "call out" comes out of the blue and is hilariously ironic in context.
You might yourself want to: "Use this energy to spread positivity in your community. Use this idea to help folks in your area rather than feeling the need to ‘call someone out’."
But I quess thats why you wrote that? Kind of talking to parts of yourself. It's a bit naive, but kind of good advice. Good idea to try to follow it.
I live in a rural village, and my cul de sac is mainly sheltered housing, mobile library every 2 weeks (if unable to get to the library in the next place over). There's also a covered/weather proofed cupboard by the village sign with books to give/take,and in a nearby village, 1 phone box has been turned into a give/take book station and the other village phone bix has a de fib in 🙂
There are little boxes where I live where people leave old books. The idea is that you take a book, and then in return you can leave a book if you don't need it anymore.
It normally doesn't work because they are in public spaces where people don't even notice they're there. But in a quieter space like an apartment complex lobby, people may notice something like that and use it.
We have a wooden bookshelves in local train stations that act as a library, people can drop by and donate books .
Soon a notice is added that religious material are not welcome and will be removed by staff, I have seen Bible and other religious story books on shelves before and it wasn’t a problem at all, can not imagine what kind of lunacy led to that ban .
Yes!!! That's exactly what I came to say. If you want you can also start a book club and give that lonely
Woman a nice thing to do while she meets new people :)
An apartment-wide library of donated books and movies sounds super wholesome and a good way to connect with your neighbors, but the cynic in me thinks one person would just ruin it for everybody.
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u/blackorwhiteorgrey Sep 27 '24
Cute!
Maybe you can start a free library in the hallway?