9 ms·

Using the "near me" mapping feature I noticed that my area has a massive problem with pirate LFLs! It shows three in my small city, when I'd guess there are at

Using the "near me" mapping feature I noticed that my area has a massive problem with pirate LFLs! It shows three in my small city, when I'd guess there are at least 4-5x that number. Will not report for now. Would like to see some LFMs for us museum-goers. I have found some very interesting niche books in these things. Books which, had they been donated to a public library, the Friends of the Library would have sold off immediately, I'd guess. (They do a good job of keeping the library materials fresh) Even books like "The Esoteric Compilation of Ryan McPhee" which is fictional for example purposes here, but you pick it up and find out about the McPheebians from the back cover, and then look them up online and discover that they offer a free online diploma in World Peace, and you give them a call and the former chapter leader ends up teaching you chainsaw carving next week. Sure, you narrowly escaped joining a definitely-not-a-cult for a trial period because you lucked out and met a disaffected follower, but also hey check out this gigantic wooden yard ornament! (And this title was tucked in next to all of the more normal books of course. One must work for it)

Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago
What is a pirate LFL?
- detaro 4y ago
  presumably a joke-y name for one that's not listed on the "official" website.
- Freak_NL 4y ago
  To name but one of the questions that post raises.
- exegete 4y ago
  To use the name “Little Free Library” you pay a fee. There are benefits to paying the fee and it helps the non-profit. Not sure if the name is trademarked or not or what happens if you call your free book exchange “Little Free Library” without paying the fee.
  - friesandties 4y ago
    I’d like all these to be legit/legal - it’d be sweet if we could sponsor others’ LFL, in essence, be able to lookup a pirate location, then license it for those who cannot. I had no idea our lfl needed to be legitimized, but I could see how it makes sense to offer some sort of understanding around where these things are, creating guidelines, ethics around them etc. We are contemplating adding a solar panel to our lfl to allow passerby’s to charge up their phone for a bit, but that is proving difficult to plan for loitering, safety, etc. Denver has had a rash of folks taking all the books, wrecking the units this year, but it’s calmed down a bit now that it’s winter. I think the more we get used to seeing and lfl in the wild, the more it becomes something folks expect - maybe switching the colors, adding a something seasonal, might be a way to make them always feel new and exciting. Gloves, masks, snacks, batteries. Stuff that doesn’t matter so much to the operator of lfl, can be life-changing for a passerby. I always feel a dilemma there though, I’m littering the library with lesser materials and potentially taking away from the overall goals to just have books out there.
    - kasey_junk 4y ago
      I’m not sure if you are joking or not but in case you aren’t. The lfl organization doesn’t legitimize them. It sells the kits, gives you a plaque & puts them in an online db. The people putting them up are responsible for following all the regulations where they place them. As someone who runs one I’ve never engaged with the official lfl site at all. We do have a problem every once in awhile with people taking all the books but it’s not a major issue. Our biggest concern is people putting what is effectively trash at our library. Broken toys, clothes with major holes, single shoes, magazines with water damage etc. One of the reasons libraries work so well is that people understand the leave one/take one concept so well with books and people know to take care of them. For consumable items and other durable goods (like clothes) it’s less culturally obvious what to do. So my advice, start your own little food pantry (or whatever) or barring that, knock on the door of the lfl provider and ask what they want provided? We have a list of local places that take such donations including live fridges and clothing exchange boxes we send people to who want to place items other than books.
    - 4y ago
- AlbertCory 4y ago
  It's someone exercising their right to put up a box on their own property. I see them all the time and it never occurred to me that this was "organized" by grifters in any way (and no, I don't have one). Yes, I said "grifters." No one needs sponsorship for their LFL. No one needs to be "registered." If you want to contribute to society's literacy, there are lots of organizations that do that. And by the way, public libraries are already free, and they're pretty popular, too.
- thepasswordis 4y ago
  Somebody who puts up a box of books near their house and doesn't give credit to the person who invented the idea: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/that-little-free-library-on-your-corner-is-at-the-center-of-a-feud-over-a-family-legacy-and-a-trademark/2019/12/18/586d01c6-1aa3-11ea-87f7-f2e91143c60d_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/that-litt...
RajT88 4y ago
I have been seeing these around town, not sure how many are actual LFL's or just copying the idea. But I have noticed, like you, questionable books being placed in them by what I presume are the local wingnuts who regularly make the local news for protesting drag shows in the local bars. I would hazard a guess any LGBT+ friendly books would similarly disappear.

Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago

What is a pirate LFL?

detaro 4y ago
presumably a joke-y name for one that's not listed on the "official" website.
Freak_NL 4y ago
To name but one of the questions that post raises.
exegete 4y ago
To use the name “Little Free Library” you pay a fee. There are benefits to paying the fee and it helps the non-profit. Not sure if the name is trademarked or not or what happens if you call your free book exchange “Little Free Library” without paying the fee.
- friesandties 4y ago
  I’d like all these to be legit/legal - it’d be sweet if we could sponsor others’ LFL, in essence, be able to lookup a pirate location, then license it for those who cannot. I had no idea our lfl needed to be legitimized, but I could see how it makes sense to offer some sort of understanding around where these things are, creating guidelines, ethics around them etc. We are contemplating adding a solar panel to our lfl to allow passerby’s to charge up their phone for a bit, but that is proving difficult to plan for loitering, safety, etc. Denver has had a rash of folks taking all the books, wrecking the units this year, but it’s calmed down a bit now that it’s winter. I think the more we get used to seeing and lfl in the wild, the more it becomes something folks expect - maybe switching the colors, adding a something seasonal, might be a way to make them always feel new and exciting. Gloves, masks, snacks, batteries. Stuff that doesn’t matter so much to the operator of lfl, can be life-changing for a passerby. I always feel a dilemma there though, I’m littering the library with lesser materials and potentially taking away from the overall goals to just have books out there.
  - kasey_junk 4y ago
    I’m not sure if you are joking or not but in case you aren’t. The lfl organization doesn’t legitimize them. It sells the kits, gives you a plaque & puts them in an online db. The people putting them up are responsible for following all the regulations where they place them. As someone who runs one I’ve never engaged with the official lfl site at all. We do have a problem every once in awhile with people taking all the books but it’s not a major issue. Our biggest concern is people putting what is effectively trash at our library. Broken toys, clothes with major holes, single shoes, magazines with water damage etc. One of the reasons libraries work so well is that people understand the leave one/take one concept so well with books and people know to take care of them. For consumable items and other durable goods (like clothes) it’s less culturally obvious what to do. So my advice, start your own little food pantry (or whatever) or barring that, knock on the door of the lfl provider and ask what they want provided? We have a list of local places that take such donations including live fridges and clothing exchange boxes we send people to who want to place items other than books.
  - 4y ago
AlbertCory 4y ago
It's someone exercising their right to put up a box on their own property. I see them all the time and it never occurred to me that this was "organized" by grifters in any way (and no, I don't have one). Yes, I said "grifters." No one needs sponsorship for their LFL. No one needs to be "registered." If you want to contribute to society's literacy, there are lots of organizations that do that. And by the way, public libraries are already free, and they're pretty popular, too.
thepasswordis 4y ago
Somebody who puts up a box of books near their house and doesn't give credit to the person who invented the idea: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/that-little-free-library-on-your-corner-is-at-the-center-of-a-feud-over-a-family-legacy-and-a-trademark/2019/12/18/586d01c6-1aa3-11ea-87f7-f2e91143c60d_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/that-litt...

RajT88 4y ago

I have been seeing these around town, not sure how many are actual LFL's or just copying the idea. But I have noticed, like you, questionable books being placed in them by what I presume are the local wingnuts who regularly make the local news for protesting drag shows in the local bars. I would hazard a guess any LGBT+ friendly books would similarly disappear.