I must confess that much of my reading these days comes from books I borrow from the bookcases along streets where I walk. There are at least five Little Libraries that I frequent. Since I write in the mystery/thriller genre, which is popular with the general public, I find that it’s a good way to get a sense of what people are reading. Recently, I picked up I Found You by Lisa Jewel, which I thought was quite cleverly written. Little libraries have introduced me to John Sandford’s Minnesota detectives Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport, and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. I also recently picked up Truth and Beauty, a memoir by Ann Patchett, one of my favourite authors of literary fiction.
The Little Libraries somehow seem to me more authentic and up to date than our local public library. They’re also easier to use–no need for a library card! But their content is hit and miss, while a public library curates the books it offers. So there’s a tradeoff.
Another difference is that there are no deadlines for returning a book. Indeed, I often forget which Little Library was the source of the book I was reading. So when I am finished, I may well return it to a different one! This is probably a good thing, since it helps expose books to a wider readership!
