Book Boxes

Take a book and leave a book.

If you don't already know me, you might not know that one of my favorite things to do is read. Always have been, probably always will be. However, the problem with being a book nerd like me is that I accumulate a lot of books. When I can, I try to get books on my Kindle Paper-white (no this isn't sponsored I just love the device- though Kindle could totally sponsor me please and thank you) because it saves both space and paper, especially if you're reading thicker books.

But that isn't always logical. Oftentimes it is more expensive to get the books online, and you're also faced with the issue of the Kindle potentially dying in the middle of you reading- it's happened before. So how do you combat the issue of having already-read books sitting around and gathering dust?

Previously I would just take them to places that will buy them off me such as Half-Price Books, or drop them off at a donation center like The Salvation Army. Now, though, I think I might've found my new favorite way to get rid of old books.

Little Free Library. They're like little book lockers, usually made of wood with a clear window on the opening so you can see the books inside. They're quite possibly the cutest things I've ever seen, and I harbor the belief that they're not utilized nearly enough. The only states that I can confirm that they're in (aka the states I've been to that I've seen them in) are Florida and Ohio, as well as my hometown, but they could very likely be other places because they've never really been brought to my attention until recently.

Basically the concept of these libraries is that they are completely free to the public, and people can come and take a book whenever they are looking for something to read, or if they have books at their house that they are done with they can leave them there for other people to enjoy. It's sort of a trading system, and it is a lot more convenient than going to a store or even a normal public library.

The problems with taking the books to Half-Price are that you can't really just take one and sell it (unless you want like, a penny). Your best bet would be to take a box and sell them all at once. Plus, using these things are completely free, unlike bookstores; no hate to bookstores, there is nothing more magical than the smell of a bookstore. I love them. Also, these are places that (at least in my case) are a short drive away from my house. These libraries usually pop up in parks and neighborhoods, and help spread the joy of reading to kids and teens.

And if all that wasn't enough, there's also the most important aspect of these libraries- their impact on the environment. Often they are made of recycled wood, and by people bringing their books here and trading them for other books, it causes less production, meaning less printing on paper which kills trees. It also means less of everything that comes with mass production, like pollution from factories, etc. It might not be much, but I believe that an effort, however small, is a step in the right direction when it comes to changing our current environmental situation.

Plus, they're adorable. So that's another pro.

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, comments, feedback, or just want to chat, you can email me at naturaladventuresblog@gmail.com , or use the chat bar in the bottom right corner of the website.