Wow what a pleasant surprise!…read more On a busy street in Benicia is one of the more cute little free library boxes I've seen. There's even a little faux white picket fence on the side which makes it especially cute. It's very well-maintained, and appears to be mostly wood with perhaps some vinyl. The day that I visited it was well stocked with both soft covers and hard covers. This street is one of the more cute streets in town. Check out the fun lawn ornaments at the house next door.

this yellow library with black box has tiny xmas lites attached around it. small & medium sized…read morebooks, mostly fiction. some children's books. reads. "Escape From Freedom" (Erich Fromm) -the rise of market capitalism leaves the worker with freedom that isn't easily attainable. rather than pursuing it individually, the worker entrusts the task to the prevailing political wind. -after Nazism achieved political power. Germans, not wanting to be left out when other political parties were abolished, acquiesced to Nazi policies, going with a winner. -Nazism appealed to the lower middle class who were resentful, hateful of the petty bourgeois, loved the strong, hated the weak. they were petty, hostile, suspected and hated the stranger. to avoid Nazism, Fromm advises democracies to allow citizens to think/act independently in a freer society.

During those pandemic years, I'd walk home from Forest Hill or West Portal Stations just to…read moreminimize exposure. Nowadays I do so every so often but usually because the Muni bus schedule is being stupid. This Little Free Library is a nice stop along the way. Love finding a possible new read!

A little free library for jigsaw puzzles. Bring one, take one. Or bring several as I did. This…read moreis such a wonderful addition to the neighborhood, especially as more and more people are taking up working on jigsaw puzzles due to the pandemic. Obviously it's an ever changing selection but the day I stopped by there were boxed puzzles in all sizes. Some people will mark if the puzzle is complete or how many pieces are missing. I dropped off some brand new unopened boxes, so get them while you can.

Here's a cute book box right near downtown Walnut Creek! I had no idea there was a tract of homes…read morethis close to downtown. The owner of the book box explained that this is one of the original tract of homes in Walnut Creek. While you are here checking out the book box, check out this wonderful cute neighborhood as well. The book box is sort of a dark rustic red with a black metallic roof. The box is very well-constructed. I believe it is based on one of the plans from the little Free Library organization. What makes this box interesting is that there's two stories! The lower story is for magazines and kids books, and the upper compartment is for regular books. It's really close to Lesher theater in Walnut Creek. Just a few houses down on allmond Avenue. Look for the intersection of Almond court and Almond Avenue. You can't miss it! While I was here visiting the book box, I could hear lots of music coming from downtown. Seems like a really fun place! I had a chance to meet the nice owner of the book box and she explained how the box came to be. A neighbor actually gave her the equipment and helped install it for her. The neighbor even dug the hole and put the cement in for the post! Wow I wish I had neighbors like that! None of my neighbors have ever dug post holes for me! So all in all a very nice Community book box. Pleasant location, Pleasant people. t is also a popular book box, as kids walk by frequently.

It couldn't be more visible or charming to find this newer Little Free Library in its permanent…read morespot in front of the Painted Lady at the top of "Postcard Row" on Alamo Square. I see the owners lovingly tarp the Little Free Library when rain's expected so books don't get wet and damaged. Tourists linger not only to take a photo in front of this restored Victorian home but often take a book to read on their travels. A kind and thoughtful addition to Alamo Square.

Free mini library in lower haight. Take a book or leave a book. It's well maintained. This is one…read moreof many free library boxes around San Francisco. On the front of the box is a website to learn more.

Best Little Free Library award goes to 585 Page. Whose idea was this? Who's paying for it? Simply…read morewow. The only thing missing is a roof to keep the rain out. Truly a library for the people, no membership required. Sure there's free books, just like the other homemade locations, but 585 Page leveled up to a full on parklet, complete with book cabinet, seating, & a garden. Truly impressive. It's kinda funny that it sits outside the Haight Bourbon Liquor Store. If only I could get over my jealousy of how cool Page street has become now that it's a Slow Street. Thanks for all the increased traffic on my street. But that's another matter. . This Little Free Library is destination worthy.

this old fashioned white little library (#143662) looks grayish in real time. it has a mix of…read morenonfiction and fiction books, a few children books. it's an old style 2 level affair. it's located a street awau from fairway. address looks strange. reads: "They Called Us Enemy" (George Takei) -it's a graphic memoir George Takei who is known for his role as of Sulu in "Star Trek". -story starts with his childhood involuntary incarceration with over 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans in 10 concentration camps thruout the arid deserts in the US. -his crime was being Japanese in an aura of anti-Japan/anti-Asian animus. the Japanese were hated for being too efficient in farming and occuping valuable farmland. competitors and the government salivated at seizing their land and property for pennies. *this is comparable to the Tulsa race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma during 1921 when city officials wiped out black wall street in greenwood for being too self-sufficient and competing with white businesses. heroics of the 442nd "go for broke" all-Japanese regiment with the highest casualty rate in WW2 is also mentioned.. Takei has done countless acting bits before being Sulu and many voices & acting gigs since. he's very talented, active in civil rights, community affaris & many artistic endeavors... in 1992, U.S. government legislation passed stating the it's actions in WW2 was based on "racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership", a presidential apology was given and reparation of $20,000 was given to each surviving 82,219 Japanese Americans who had been interned. *actually got "Charlie Chan is missing", an Asian American anthology here. Takei book is from regular library. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

this lite green library(#101960) has a variety of children's books. the 2 shelves within are not…read moretall enough to fit the book i am reviewing. reads: "The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family" (17.99) by Olympic Medalist Ibtihaj Muhummad with S.K. Ali as writer and Hatem Aly as artist -book is quite pricey for a beginner's reader book. try the local library -story is about older sister's Asiya's first day of wearing a hijab in school, -she knows there will be misunderstandings but Asiya is strong about educating others what she is wearing. -there are sceptics/harassers, she ignores them, wears her hajib proudly... -this book will be inspirational for young Muslims and educational for others.

I had the pleasure of visiting this community library in Penngrove, CA called The Sitting Room…read moretoday. It is in a private individual's home who has opened her lovely house to the public as a library of books centering women writers. The whole place was extremely charming and well organized, with various rooms representing different collections such as poetry, the performing arts, an entire section dedicated to books by and about Virginia Woolf, a beautiful altar setup to Maya Angelou and her books, complete with a powerful quote of hers on the wall, several bookcases of publications by lesbian writers which were built "into a closet," funnily enough, and a whole room dedicated to the obituaries of noteworthy women. This place is a vast archive of relevant materials all focused on women authors and thinkers. The grounds, including the back and front yards, are beautified by numerous standing redwoods towering over the house. It created a very welcoming sanctuary that made you really want to sit there and browse and read for hours. All of this is dedicated to women writers. J.J. Wilson and her staff of enthusiastic volunteers are to be highly credited and praised for giving this unique and beautiful gift to our community. Such a rich and exciting dwelling place, and community center for us all to enjoy! I highly recommend you visit! Go check it out, and set aside a few hours for browsing and sampling, like a visit to a bakery for those of us who love to read.

This is a hidden gem in Rohnert Park! This is a private free library, where you can borrow books…read morefor free, and even host events. There is a little kitchen too so you can serve some snacks to your group. I found this place because I was invited to an event for the women who work at Sonoma State. We had a lovely time, sipping wine and eating snacks, relaxing in the garden. I found a book on my way out, and one of the volunteers was happy to chat with me about it and let me take it right away. Can you believe it?? This is truly a spot for book lovers. They just let you take books -- no membership card, no due dates, just readers creating a space for each other. It is a really quaint and relaxing place. I can't believe more people don't know about it!