SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego is one of the top cities in the nation for Little Free Libraries, with 433 locations spread across the region from parks to healthcare clinics.
These community book exchanges offer residents a cost-free alternative to purchasing new books, making literature accessible to everyone regardless of financial means.
“This is a region of readers,” said Migell Acosta, director of San Diego County Library.
Acosta collaborated with the Little Free Library nonprofit to place more of these book-sharing boxes across the region.
“We’re trying to provide as much and as easy low-cost access to learning literacy as we can,” Acosta said.
The Little Free Library organization maintains an official website with a map feature that helps people locate boxes near them. In San Diego, there are often several within a mile of each other.
“It makes it really easy for people who don’t have transportation or can’t get to the library, to bring books into their home,” Acosta said.
Daniel Gumnit, CEO of Little Free Library, says their goal is to make books easily accessible to everyone. He emphasizes that there’s no obligation to return or replace books taken from the libraries.
“You can actually keep the book as long as you want. Many years ago the motto was ‘take a book leave a book’, but that’s evolved to ‘take a book and share a book,'” Gumnit said.
For those seeking additional affordable reading options, Acosta recommends checking out Friends of the Library groups at local county libraries, where books are often available for $2 or less.
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