Whether you are at a public park, a school campus, or on a neighborhood street, a free book exchange could be nearby, offering a variety of free books and maybe even a tennis ball for your dog. This OCN guide will not only show you where the local little libraries are but give you the stories behind them.
The majority of local book exchanges are official Little Free Libraries. LFL is a nonprofit organization that aims to promote reading and literacy by expanding access to books and building community connections. Anyone can start a LFL by buying a charter registration and either building their own library or buying a LFL pre-built library. Little Libraries can also be granted to underserved communities at no cost.
LFL Communications Director Margret Aldrich said she’s seen Little Libraries everywhere from hospital waiting rooms to bus stops and laundromats, but the first one began in a front yard.
“The first Little Free Library was built in 2009 by Wisconsin teacher, nonprofit founder and entrepreneur Todd Bol when his mother had passed away. She was an educator and a lifelong reader and he wanted to honor her memory,” she said.
The tribute turned into an organization that has nearly 180,000 Libraries, which span 121 countries. Aldrich said Florida has the eighth most LFL locations in the U.S.
OCN used the LFL app to create a Little Free Library guide but it also includes libraries that have been started outside of the organization. The guide is not affiliated with Little Free Libraries. If this guide is missing a local book exchange, please let us know at contact@oviedocommnitynews.org.
Taylor’s Little Free Library Charter #105985
1090 Lake Rogers Circle, Oviedo
Taking a peek out her window, Jessicia Taylor could see a father and his child reading a book on a bench owned by her husband’s grandmother and later refurbished by him. The book they were reading came from a little house-shaped box next to the bench called Taylor’s Little Free Library.
Taylor and her family of avid readers decided to start a LFL while stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Her husband built the Library and she painted and decorated it. She even added a “dog library” that she fills with tennis balls.
She sees a lot of people walk to her LFL, mostly elementary school kids and their parents in the Lake Rogers neighborhood. It’s a pit-stop for many people going to or coming from Stenstrom Elementary School, which is just down the road. Sometimes even her pest control guy will stop by for a book. Taylor has a diverse selection of things from children’s books and movies, to stickers and more mature books.
“Occasionally during banned books week we’ll put all banned books in there just to show people that there’s so many different things to read and sometimes those banned books are just things about people and situations that are just different from you,” Taylor said.
She said that’s what’s so important about reading; it allows people to learn about different people and other things that they may not have known before, which increases exposure.
“I just think it keeps us from being well-rounded people when we limit ourselves,” Taylor said.
Even when she travels, Taylor said she visits other Little Libraries using the LFL app. She typically brings a few books with her to share at these new places.
“I feel like getting as many books out there— into the hands of kids— that you can, you’re not gonna go wrong with it,” Taylor said.
Temple Israel Little Free Library Charter #88207
50 S. Moss Road, Winter Springs
As Emily Raij and her husband Andrew began planting the posts of the new Little Free Library at Temple Israel Orlando, they attracted an audience. People from the synagogue came up to them, curious about what they were installing.
When they found out, many people responded saying ‘Oh this is great! We really needed this,’ Raij said.
Raij thought of this community service project for herself and the children of the Meitin Alliance for Growth and Learning (MAGAL) religious school. When the project started in 2019, there were about 60 kids involved ranging from kindergarteners to seventh graders. The kids helped to paint, decorate and stock the Little Library as a Mitzvah (which means good deed in Hebrew) Day project.
Her husband assembled the box using an old cabinet and some other materials from their home, including roof shingles to help protect it from the rain.
When it first opened, Raij said it was used right away. Fully stocked, the LFL has close to 30 books taking up two shelves. Books were originally donated by the Raij family, the MAGAL students and other members of Temple Israel. There were mostly children’s books at first, but now also includes a selection for adults. When asked about the up-keep of the LFL, Raij said it pretty much runs itself.
“It’s always being used, it’s always full. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it fully empty — and not to say that the books just sit in there — but it’s just a constant flow.”
During banned books week, Raij entered and won a contest from LFL. All LFL stewards, like Raij, are able to enter book giveaways provided by LFL. They gifted her the book “The Hate U Give” along with some banned book stickers to put in the Library.
The presence of the Library inspired the local community near Moss Cove Town Homes in Winter Springs to donate more than just books. Clothes, toiletries, puzzles and food were being left in and around the Little Library as donations. After seeing this, Raij requested funding from the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando to install a food pantry next to the LFL. Her request was granted and she had the MAGAL students get hands on with this project as well (small, multi-colored hand prints adorn the food pantry). She was also able to set up a clothing donation bin in the parking lot of the synagogue. She jokingly promised she would stop putting boxes of things on synagogue property.
Raij also said that one time a parent in-need requested they provide school supplies, which Raij provided and coordinated with them to pick up.
“Where there’s the greatest need is when there’s not a public library nearby and here, as far as I know, there’s not a library within five miles. So I thought [this] would be great,” Raij said.
Though there have been rumors of one in the works, there is no public library in the city of Winter Springs. The nearest public libraries are in Casselberry, Oviedo and Lake Mary.
Lawton Chiles Middle School – The Learning Movement Read at Home Charter #120525
1240 Sanctuary Drive, Oviedo
Near the roundabout outside of Lawton Chiles Middle School, you can spot a red Little Library across from the school’s marquee sign.
Principal Melissa Laudani is a longtime educator of the Oviedo community and specifically with LCMS. Her name is honored on the front of this Little Library because of that.
“I opened this campus back in ’99. I taught [at Lawton Chiles Middle School] for 13 years and then left and worked my way up [as Dean at Millennium Middle School, Assistant Principal (AP) at Indian Trails Middle School and AP at Tuskawilla Middle School] and then got to come back as principal,” Laudani said.
Laudani became principal in the 2020-2021 academic year. It was during this time when the world was shutting down public places and implementing social distancing that the idea of a Little Library came up. She and her staff wanted a place for kids to have access to books when they were stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Years later, this LFL is still useful for many children and families in the area. Although the school has a library inside, Laudani said the LFL is good for people to use after school hours, on weekends and during the summer.
Laudani said one of her teachers, Sarah Hall, came up with the idea. Hall was determined to get this up and running, so she sought community sponsors.
Ajay Kapadia of Kapadia Orthodontics said as someone who grew up in Oviedo and a big promoter of reading, he happily donated the money needed to start the LFL. Hall then reached out to The Learning Movement, who were able to build and install the Little Library using the Kapadia Orthodontics funds.
The school’s art students helped paint the box and the art teacher painted the paws to give it that authentic panther look (after the school’s mascot).
Kaydence Magnolia’s Book Library Charter #180277
235 W. Magnolia St., Oviedo
A sticker placed in Kaydence’s LFL books shares that you are never too young or too old to read, a fact that Lee holds really near to her heart.
The Lee family lives on the corner of Magnolia Street in Oviedo. Kelly and Kevin Lee have magnolia trees outside their bedroom. It is said that magnolia flowers are sweet smelling, but live short lifespans. Their daughter Kaydence Magnolia wasn’t named after the plant but the connection between the two has become very meaningful for the family.
Kelly spent nearly three months with Kaydence at the Nemours Children’s Hospital in Lake Nona before she died in September 2022.
“She was a miracle baby that we were told wouldn’t even survive to birth. And then she made it to birth and then she made it to 87 days,” Kelly said.
While Kelly was pregnant with Kaydence and after she gave birth, she would read to her as much as possible – something she saw as important with all seven of her children, two of whom are biological and five who were adopted from around the world.
This past Christmas, Kelly asked her father-in-law to build a Little Free Library in Kaydence’s honor. Kelly said it was carefully constructed by him, and her mother-in-law created a sign that went below the Library.
“It’s at least something that we can positively remember her by. The whole thing is leaving her legacy,” Kelly said.
Kaydence’s birthday is July 5 and the fifth of every month is always a special day for the Lee family. When OCN spoke with Kelly, it happened to be June 5, a month away from Kaydence’s second birthday. On June 5, Kelly began accepting donations for her Book & Bow drive, something they’ve hosted for the last two years to benefit NICU at Nemours Children’s Hospital.
The drive came about the first Christmas after Kaydence passed. Kelly’s friend donated a rolling library cart to her, which Kelly decorated to honor Kaydence. One side of the cart reads “Kaydence’s Rolling Library” and the other side says “Kaydence’s Bow-tique” because her infant was almost always wearing a bow on her head. The Lee family donated it to the Nemours Children’s Hospital at Lake Nona on Christmas Eve 2022.
“Nemours Children’s Hospital was amazing. They made me feel like every moment counted,” Kelly said through tears. “So I think that alone is huge, which is why I’ll keep giving back to them.”
Every fifth of the month she also goes to the Nemours Children’s Hospital and gives Hershey’s Kisses out to the NICU nurses as “kisses from Kaydence.”
“So every fifth, which is today, I will make my way up to the hospital and give the NICU staff Hershey’s Kisses. That’s just something I’ve always done for I guess close to two years now. Every fifth. I haven’t missed one,” Kelly said.
Kelly said she receives donations from people across the country for both her LFL and for Kaydence’s Rolling Library. Books donated to the rolling library must be new to go to the hospital, but all donations are welcome at her LFL.
Little Library on Yellow Pine Charter #139035
1389 Yellow Pine Court, Winter Springs
Tricia Durity’s love for reading as a child, which she said she successfully passed on to her kids, led her to start a LFL so that she could share her passion with other book lovers. She said giving people access to books they normally wouldn’t think to look for in public libraries is one of the biggest benefits of Little Libraries.
During banned books week last year, which was the first week of October, she received a large box of banned books in a giveaway from LFL and put them in her Library.
“If people want to read them, they’re there. If you don’t, you certainly don’t have to take them, but they’re just available,” Durity said.
The QR code displayed above the Calvin and Hobbes stickers goes to Durity’s LFL Facebook page, which has regular posts about things such as local reading challenges, books Durity is reading and “shelfies” (photos of the current books in her LFL).
Durity said mostly adults stop by, but she said the range of books is about half and half on the adult-to-children book ratio.
This LFL has been running for about two years and every few weeks, Durity said she takes all the books out and puts a new set of books in to keep people interested. She gets some of her books by entering LFL book giveaways, but most of them come from community donations. Her friends give her some and sometimes folks will leave boxes of books on her porch anonymously.
Round Lake Park- Small Playground Charter #175096
891 E. Broadway St., Oviedo
Just outside of the red, triangular canopies shading the brightly colored small playground in Round Lake Park is a house-shaped Little Free Library.
This charter was donated to Round Lake Park by the Oviedo Moms Club, which is a part of the International MOMS Club, a group designed for stay-at-home moms to meet up and give each other and their children support.
Danielle Villardi, a member of Oviedo Moms Club, said her club reached out to Oviedo Parks and Recreation with interest in putting a LFL by one of the city’s newly renovated playgrounds. She said it felt very special to start something new next to the new small playground at the park.
On the pink Oviedo Moms Club plaque, there is a QR code that goes to the club’s Facebook page. Villardi said it was an important addition so that more moms can find people to connect with.
“Sometimes being a mom, and being a stay-at-home mom, it’s a struggle. You don’t have the village you might need. So as a moms group, we provide that village that might not be family, but we are all going through the same thing together, so we try to support each other that way,” Villardi said.
She said the club often hosts playdates, so with the opening of this LFL it gave them a place to bring books and host their playdates.
Villardi frequently stops by to maintain the LFL and drop off books. Occasionally, she will see adults notice the LFL while at the tennis courts across from the playground. Because of this, she makes sure to include adult books as well as books for children.
The Oviedo Moms Club paid for the materials for the house, the post and the charter registration. Villardi’s husband and father-in-law built the Library structure.
There is another book exchange box near the bathrooms of Round Lake Park’s small playground. This one is not affiliated with LFL.
Judy’s Little Free Library Charter #103169
3011 Curryville Road, Chuluota
Just off an oak-lined road in Chuluota, Judy’s Little Free Library fronts a small driveway off Curryville Road. The owner, Judy Green, said the LFL was given to her as a Mother’s Day gift from her son.
This library features mainly adult books like “A Girl Named Disaster” by Nancy Farmer and “The Teeth of the Tiger” by Tom Clancy but there were a few children’s books, such as a booking featuring the Sesame Street character Elmo, called “Eyes & Nose, Fingers & Toes.”
Oak Forest Little Free Library Charter #159367
884 Benchwood Drive, Winter Springs
This LFL features books such as “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty and “Fever” by Maya Banks. Photo by Makayla Gray.
Propped up in front of a light green house is another official LFL. According to the bio on the LFL website, this neighborhood is “a perfect place for sharing books”. The library houses an array of books, mostly catering to adults.
2018-19 Pack 319 Cub Scout Bear Den LFL Charter #86162
1600 Lockwood Blvd., Oviedo
Located at Riverside Park, this Little Library houses a wide selection of both children and adult books.
According to their bio on the LFL website, this library was created by Cub Scout Pack 319’s “Wolf Den.” The Den met during the summer to learn how to construct the box, and in February 2019 this charter was dedicated to them.
Heather Marion Charter #89518
37 Jackson Circle, Winter Springs
This verdantly hand-painted LFL is on the side of the road near the end of Jackson Circle.
This library carries a variety of books from children’s books like “Clifford’s Happy Easter” by Norman Bridwell to adult books like “There Goes My Social Life: From Clueless to Conservative” by Stacey Dash.
There is a plaque on the left-hand side of the structure that says it was donated by the Vertical Bridge Charitable Network.
Aldrich said LFL stewards participate in a survey each year and 98% of people said they feel like their neighborhood is a friendlier place because of the presence of a Little Library.
Dentistry for Children’s Little Free Library, Charter #152966
1390 City View Center, Oviedo
Sitting in front of Oviedo’s Dentistry for Children under a young oak tree is a bright blue and yellow house, filled with dozens of books for children. Built two years ago by local builder Rhett Wilson, the library has been a staple for the community and for anyone visiting the dentist. In charge of the library is Ali White, an employee at the dentist’s office for 17 years.
“With the daycare being close and [with] schools around here, we thought that it would be great for our patients and for just the community,” she said.
White’s inspiration for the library came as she watched child after child sit in the waiting room with nothing to do. She realized that it would be a great place for kids to read a book, leave a book or trade a book at their appointment. She said that about 40 kids interact with the library on a daily basis, whether they are there for a dentist appointment or not.
Along with the children, parents also frequent the library, dropping off books for themselves or trading books for their children.
“I think it’s great for everybody,” White said. “It’s great because kids get excited about it and they might find a book in there they’ve been wanting to read or find a series that they’ve been interested in. It’s great for parents to be able to change out their books without having to go to an actual library.”
Managed by White, the library is clean with the books sitting neatly on the faux green grass lining the bottom of the library. White has amassed a small collection of books stored in the dentist office for the library, which she pulls from regularly to stock the library.
What makes this library so special and what sets it apart from the others is that it sits in front of a business, White said.
“I believe that we’re the only one that’s at a pediatric dental office, at an establishment that is not someone’s house or a park,” White said.
The library is colorful with a roof that matches the dentist’s office. To White, the best part about running the little library is seeing the children interact with the library and trading books.
“Just seeing the kids interact with it, actually be involved with it, seeing that kids get excited about it,” White said. “Seeing their responses to it and them actually wanting to trade with a little library or look in the little library or find something.”
Charter #166645
610 Dolphin Road, Winter Springs
Looking as if it were a large birdhouse, this baby blue library sits in front of a single-story home with a canopy of trees overhead and a basketball hoop in the driveway.
The library front is complete with two black hinges, a black door handle and a piece of glass that allows visitors to peer into the library and choose their next book.
Charter #84873
701 Sailfish Road, Winter Springs
Standing almost four feet tall, the library is made out of thin plastic, resembling a child’s playhouse. It is black, with scratches of what used to be red paint. The front of the library has a gray door with a plastic window.
Ella’s Book Nook Charter #100811
690 Vistawilla Drive, Winter Springs
Little Library Charter #100811 started as a simple idea to spark an interest in reading in owner Laura Koch’s second-grade daughter, but it quickly turned into a landmark that she said is “critical to the heartbeat of the community.”
Ella’s Book Nook, named after Koch’s 11-year-old daughter Ella Koch, was built in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic by her husband Preston Koch.
“I was inspired two-fold not only to give individuals, in light of all that was going on with Covid, an opportunity to read books and find some adventure and activity in reading but also to inspire and influence a love for reading for our daughter,” Laura said.
Over the years, the Little Library has blossomed from a simple wooden box to a hub for the community to interact. The library has kept its original structure but it has grown over the years, adding an enchanted swing and chair for visitors to sit and read.
The library takes on a new design every season as Laura and her family decorate its exterior according to the holidays.
Beyond the Little Library’s wide selection of children’s and adult books, visitors can also trade painted rocks with encouraging messages, games and bookmarks at the library site.
Laura said Ella’s Book Nook is a popular destination for walkers and bikers as they explore the nature trails surrounding the neighborhood.
“Surprisingly a lot of daily foot traffic hits that library. I go in it frequently to see what’s new and take something out myself so I know it’s turning a lot of books because I check on it regularly,” Laura said. “I enjoy looking out my kitchen window and seeing little ones surrounding it and getting excited about what might be inside.”
Trotwood Park Charter #96211
701 Northern Way, Winter Springs
Spend a day at Trotwood Park playing on the playground, running around the fields or walking the trails and you may spot a peculiar box standing alone in the middle of the park.
This Little Library mainly houses books for older readers, providing a resource for parents accompanying their child to the park.
Originally, the idea of a public Little Library was brought to a Winter Springs Commission workshop back in July 2015 when Joanne Krebs served as commissioner.
Krebs requested for the City of Winter Springs to look into creating a book share program at one of the City Parks.
Now, in 2024, the Trotwood Park Charter #96211 Little Library is still standing and providing access to literature for Winter Springs residents.
Mary Jo Martin Charter #3955
101 E. Main St., Geneva
Just a three-minute walk from Geneva Elementary School to the front yard of the Rural Heritage Center can transport you to an alternate universe, connect you with a self help guide or immerse you in a new adventure.
Located at 101 E. Main St. in Geneva, the Geneva Village Homemakers’ Little Library Charter #3955, led by President Robin Griffith, encourages Geneva residents to “take a book or two and read them… then leave a book or two to share with others.”
You may mistake this curious Little Library for a chicken coop with its rustic reddish-brown exterior and shingled roof.
This Little Library plays its part in the community by offering something for both little and big readers. With a dedicated section for adults and another for children, Geneva’s Little Library provides a wide selection of novels for parents and children to explore on their afterschool walk.
Whether you’re stopping by to pick up a new book or send one on its way to its next reader, stay for a while and appreciate the scenery of Geneva. Readers can sit and enjoy books from the Little Library on a bench placed directly next to it.
With the total of 23 book exchange boxes found in this guide, locating a library can be fairly easy. Download the free LFL app to find official LFLs and use the world map to search for Libraries by name, location, or charter number. Once again, if this guide is missing any LFLs or book exchanges, please let us know at contact@oviedocommnitynews.org.
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