You may be wondering: What’s a Little Free Library? Very simply, it is what it says on the box: A tiny free neighborhood library. These libraries are colorful, and usually imaginative, little structures, set up on a pole in a fairly public place or in even in someone’s front yard. They are stocked with a selection of about 100 adult and children’s titles and anyone may borrow a book (or two!). Book donations are also welcome. A steward maintains the collection making sure that the inventory hasn’t been depleted, that there is enough variety, and that there are no damaged books.

You may be wondering: Why a Little Free Library? Well, aside from the fact that sometimes regular public libraries are too far afield for people to get to – the library is not on the bus route, for example, or the open hours don’t coincide with a person’s working hours – these little libraries are community-building ventures. They are meant to engage the neighborhood, encourage children to read regularly and make books available as widely as possible to anyone at any time (since they never close, of course!). The movement has spread beyond the U.S. and is a worldwide phenomenon with Little Free Libraries all over the globe.

To find a Little Free Library near you, visit the map on their site and enter Connecticut in the city/state/province/region field. You’ll see dozens of markers throughout the state. How cool is that!