Books for all

Little Free Libraries are a hit in Snohomish County

Posted Wednesday, March 6, 2024 12:00 am

By Brian Soergel

Take what you can. Leave what you can. It’s a simple concept – the Little Free Library – that turns 15 this year. The first was officially built in Hudson, Wisconsin, in 2009.

That’s according to a nonprofit organization called Little Free Library, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, which says more than 300 million books have been shared nationwide with registered Little Free Libraries. The site provides a map at littlefreelibrary.org.

But there are many more that aren’t officially registered. You no doubt have passed one or two or three in your neighborhood.

Today, the libraries are not just for books, although the majority certainly are.

For example: More than 10 years ago, Deborah Binder and her husband, Gaetan Veilleux, placed their first Little Free Library outside their Edmonds home.

In 2020, Binder, inspired by a woman who created what she called a “Little Free Pantry,” decided to build one of her own. She created a Facebook page for updates: tinyurl.com/wapymwt2. Binder started the pantry during the early stages of COVID to help those facing food insecurity. The pantry is also full of information about ovarian cancer, as she is a 14-year survivor, and getting information out about symptoms is part of her advocacy work.

Both book and pantry libraries are outside Binder’s new home at 8912 192nd St. SW in the Seaview neighborhood.

Fellow Edmonds resident Chris Walton is also a big fan of Little Free Libraries. “I need to keep busy in the winter and love to have creative projects,” said Walton, past treasurer of Friends of the Edmonds Library. “This last year I was into making fairy houses. It’s the fourth one but the only one that was a ‘library.’ Others were much more elaborate. Lots of people stop by, especially young adults with their kids in tow.”

Does he get comments? “My neighbors love it and take books for their kids and grandkids since half of my selection are kids’ books.” Walton is a retired engineer who said he gets a kick out of watching kids’ faces as they look at the house and browse through the books. He buys some of his books from Friends of the Lynnwood Library. “I never charge money for any of my projects. Everything I do is for free. I make all kinds of stuff from steel and wood – I weld. It’s all for fun.”

Here’s where you can find other Little Free Libraries around south Snohomish County. Many were submitted by readers. Some are from littlefreelibrary.org.