Cedar Falls Family Plants Little Free Library in Their Yard, Offers Books for All

In a front yard in Cedar Falls sits a tiny house full of books. On any given day, passerby may be seen peeking through the plexiglass door, pulling it open and taking out a book.

Welcome to the Little Free Library.

Gideon Kidd, 4, explained how the miniature library that sits in his front yard works.

"You can borrow a book or take a book or put a book in," he said.

The Little Free Library project aims to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.

Rachel Braunigan, 43, decided she wanted to get involved, so she and her husband ordered a library box and set it up outside their home, at the corner of Eighth and College Streets, across from St. John's Lutheran Church.

She said she sees passing school kids and adults alike using the library.

"Seeing kids walking home from school and stopping and pulling out a book, it's just adorable," she said.

Not everything has been rosy, however. She said within a few minutes of putting the library up a couple of weeks ago, she watched a group of passing teens take a skateboard to the plexiglass. She said the incident was resolved with an apology and the kids paying for the damage.

Despite the early setback, Braunigan said she's happy with the project.

"Each day you come out and there's something new and something missing," she said. "I just think it's such a neat way to spread a sense of community."

There are hundreds, if not thousands of the libraries around the state, the country and the world, all mapped on Google.

Gideon's brother Oliver Kidd, 7, said he likes having one in his front yard.

"I like getting books out of it," he said. "One of my favorite things is reading."