A Sweet Thank You Note

This sweet note was left in a Little Free Library at @gomtairy and we wanted to share it because we received the same note at the LFL we sponsor at @germantownkitchengarden. We are saddened to hear of the mother’s passing and send love to the author and their family. Thank you for taking the time to share the impact our program made during this time.

The text in the photo reads:

“Dear Little Free Library owner or whoever maintains this box:

I have been caring for my 92 year old mother, who was severely crippled by rheumatoid arthritis and essentially housebound for the past two and [a] half years. Books and literature had always played a significant role in her life, but as she became increasingly infirm reading became her sole outlet. We would take excursions every couple of weeks to the local public libraries until her declining health kept her at home.

When the pandemic struck I faced a real crisis. With the libraries closed, I tried having her use a Kindle or iPad reader but her arthritis made this impossible. Then, having recently moved to the Germantown area, I stumbled upon the Little Free Libraries. I identified about 24 of them, and had a regular route visiting 12 to 15 within a 20 minute drive from where I lived. They have defined my life for the past 6 months, and truly made her life worth living. I like to think I expanded her literary horizons as well as provide some ‘cross pollination’ among the libraries.

So thank you Little Free Library owner. You made life worth living for my mother. She suffered a small stroke in early October, and it rendered her unable to read. At that point she lost her will to live, and passed peacefully at home within a week’s time.

I recently completed my last LFL run. This time it was all returns.”

Every book donated truly makes a difference whether you donate to Philly Bookshelf, another charity, a school, a Little Free Library, or a friend. One book can truly help someone else. Thank you to everyone who supports our work by donating books and money as well as our amazing Community Partners who oversee the Community Bookshelves and make books accessible to the community. We couldn’t do this work without you.

If you would like to donate a book to help a fellow community member, head to our wish list - https://amz.run/3Jad

Photo by @gomtairy