We live in a world where physical books are going out of style as the electronic era blossoms. Just because audiobooks, Kindles and the internet exists, doesn’t mean we have to stop reading actual books! One woman is making sure that kids and adults always have access to physical books — for free!
Nonprofit organization Little Free Library is helping to ensure we keep our innate love of books alive by “inspiring a love of reading, building community, and sparking creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world.” These little libraries are popping up everywhere, with over 75,000 libraries provided in 88 countries so far!
One of the absolute coolest ‘Little Free Library’ projects to pop up was made by a family in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Sharalee Armitage Howard, a librarian, artist and former bookbinder, decided that the large stump of a 110-year-old cottonwood tree would, instead of being dug up and destroyed, make the perfect setting for a ‘Little Tree Library’.
And just so you know, the average lifespan of a Cottonwood tree is 40-50 years, so this one as lived that twice already!
The stump was hollowed out and interior walls and a ceiling was put into place. Then lighting, shelving, a front door and of course, books were added!
