To stamp or not to stamp? That seems to be the question for LFL Stewards!
Is it worth it? Does it matter?
Since embarking on this Little Free Library Journey, I’ve read lots of posts and seen varying opinions on having a stamp for your Little Free Library. It’s a decision, really, that you can only make for yourself! Here are some of the pro’s and cons that I discovered. Skim the list, and if you’d like more details, read on below for a little more information.
Pros:
- Tracking your books to see where they land.
- Educating patrons on what all those books are for.
- Avoid theft for resale.
- Connect with patrons, which can create community engagement, help with donations, etc.
- Connect with other LFL Stewards.
Cons:
- More time/maintenance spent on your library.
- Cost, though this is minimal.
- Something else to keep up with…
Well, there you have it: the short list of pros & cons….The cons, you just have to decide, really if you want to invest the time in stamping. The main issue seems to be that folks will take books out of Little Free Libraries and sell them for profit. Stewards in higher traffic areas have this happen repeatedly, and it can get costly to keep your library stocked. Generally, the idea is that you never really have to buy ANY books for your library, that books come in and go out…and most stewards don’t really expect them to come back. If they do, fabulous, if not, that’s ok! The idea is to put books in people’s hands and create a community connection.
Do you stamp your Little Free Library books? Why or why not? I’d love your thoughts!
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What a fun idea! It would be really cool to see where your books end up.
Wouldn’t it though!!! I just hope someone lets us know where they end up! 😍