Kentwood Little Free Library
I am trying to strengthen our community and encourage literacy by erecting a Little Free Library and placing a geocache in my front yard. This would be a place where everyone can freely come to take a book for or give a book. The library will be stocked with books for people of all ages and many different interests, which makes reading more interesting and accessible. The geocache encourages learning and helps draw people in.
Kentwood is a great, diverse neighborhood but it only has one free-standing Little Free Library. The rest of Grand Rapids has several and there are over 50,000 worldwide. We need to catch up! My yard is in a good neighborhood on Pickett Street with lots of traffic, school bus routes, and pedestrians so many people will have easy access the library.
I am building this as cost-effectively as possible. I found an old, gutted grandfather clock for $25 that I intend to build the library from. Hopefully, it will eventually look something like the one pictured above. It will still need wood, Plexiglas, caulk, paint & varnish, lighting, foundation pavers, and many other supplies to make it weatherproof and transform it into a real, functional library. In addition, I will need to purchase an official charter for. Any remaining funds will go toward buying books to stock the library and make sure it stays full. See below for a full cost analysis.
If there are additional excess funds, I will enthusiastically use them to help create other Little Free Libraries in the area to spread the sense of community and love of reading further!
In addition to financial donations, I will gladly accept donations of new and gently used books for the library.
This will be the community’s library and gathering place. I am simply the steward who creates and maintains it and I am hoping the community will step up to help make it financially possible for me to do so.
Click for more info on Little Free Libraries!
Click here to learn more about Geocaching!
I scouted actual prices including tax for the necessary materials to complete this project. Books can be purchased used for $.25-$2 each. I will strive to shop sales to lower costs as possible. As always, there will be incidental costs for things such as glue, screws, knobs, hinges, and anything else we have overlooked.
Update 10/29: Many of the supplies we need have been donated so I have updated costs accordingly.
Clock $27.03 - FUNDED
Official charter $49.79 - FUNDED
Book stamp $22.54 - FUNDED
Plexiglas - DONATED
Plywood - DONATED
Wood filler $4.75 - FUNDED
Primer $8.88 - FUNDED
Paint - DONATED
Spar varnish $14.83 - FUNDED
Caulk - DONATED
Weatherstripping $4.23 - FUNDED
Tape $4.94 - FUNDED
Paving stones $3.12 - FUNDED
Pulls & Latches $5.79 - FUNDED
Moulding - $10.94
Lighting $27.54
Hinges $10
Guest Book $10
Grand opening $25
Books - Many being donated
Total cost less books and incidentals: about $225.00
