If you love reading but don't have a public library in your area, you could be the perfect person to start one.All you need to run a library is a vision, a collection of books, and support from your community.Pick a location that will allow you to house your books comfortably.Second hand sources, community donations, and deals with popular publishers can be used to build your inventory.
Step 1: Rent a building and turn it into a library.
You might be able to find a good location for a library by looking at available properties in your neighborhood.Make sure the building you settle on is big enough to meet your needs, including shelves or bookcases for your collection, a checkout desk, study rooms, and any other features you want.1,500 sq ft is all you need to comfortably house your materials.You could open a small library with a layout as small as 500 sq ft (46 m), such as a storefront shop or office space.Unless you plan on providing access to certain types of digital content, such as licensed media, software, and databases, you don't need to apply for a special license in order to start your own library.Fees, subscriptions, and other licensing requirements may be imposed in that case.
Step 2: There is a communal facility where you can reserve a room.
If you want to establish a library that is open to community members, you need to talk to the person who runs the facility.This could be a small suite, an unused room, or a section of a larger room.If they don't plan on charging you rent, be willing to work with what they have to offer.A public library can be found in schools, churches, rec centers, and similar gathering places.If you decide to base your library in a communal building, keep in mind that it may not be open during certain hours.It is possible to find space in a busy public facility without having to advertise.
Step 3: You can make a small library out of a shelf in a local business.
If you want to host an open community library in your area, pitch your idea to small business owners.The spare room is perfect for your project.cafés, boutiques, and special interest shops are likely to be where avid readers congregate.One of the perks of partnering with a local business is that there will always be someone there to keep an eye on things during the day and lock up at night.If the business owner is going to lease their location, they need to get permission from the proprietor of the building.
Step 4: If you don't have the funds to start a larger library, set up a book exchange hub.
You don't need a room to lend out books, just a place to store them.Put an array of books in a covered box or cabinet and leave it somewhere near your home.Encourage people to pick out a book and leave one of their own.You can place your book exchange hub outside of your home or in a safe place.If you register your book exchange hub with a participating organization, you can make it part of a larger network of little libraries.If you don't have the money to rent a physical location, or if you've been turned down by the community leaders, maintaining a book exchange hub may be the way to go.
Step 5: Find out what books are in high demand in your area.
Tell your friends, relatives, neighbors, classmates, and coworkers what books they like to read.It is possible to tailor your selection to the needs, interests, and tastes of the people who will ultimately be using it.Think about the people in your community.You might make room for more large-print books if they are mostly retirees.A well-stocked children's section is likely to be a hit if there are a lot of families.If space allows, you can carry a wide variety of genres and titles to make sure there is something for everyone.
Step 6: Second hand sources can be used to score previously-owned books.
You can browse used book stores, consignment shops, flea markets, and garage sales to find items that would make good additions to your library.You can put together the core of your collection by paying little to no money for most of the books you find, but still have the freedom to bechoosy as you please.Many online book sellers have a large selection of used books at low prices.You should only buy books that are in good shape as you can expect them to get a little worn out after a while.Pass on titles with torn or faded covers, loose or broken binding, missing pages, water damage, or heavily stained or soiled spots.
Step 7: Donate to the members of your community.
You can spread the word about your need for donations by creating a social media account for your library.You could use word-of-mouth to spread the word.Provide detailed information about the books you are looking for, as well as the general condition they need to be in.You can hold an on-site book drive event where people can come to unload their old and unwanted books, or you can start a mobile collection service.Many of the donations you receive will be things that people are looking to get rid of, which means they may not all be titles that your members are dying to read.You can post a list of books on your social media page.You will be more likely to get the items you want.
Step 8: It is possible to get distribution rights for new releases.
Get in touch with the marketing departments of various publishing houses and let them know that you are starting a library and would like to feature some of their titles.Many companies are willing to negotiate deals to supply library owners with large quantities of books at discounted prices.Contact information for marketing and business inquiries can be found on most publishing houses websites.Make it clear to the representative that you don't intend to sell their books for profit.They might try to charge you a higher rate.
Step 9: You should acquire bookshelves to hold the titles you want to loan out.
They just need to get the job done.If possible, try to find storage solutions that compliment one another in terms of size and style so that your finished library will have a neat, uniform appearance.Matching sets of bookshelves and cases can be found at antique stores.You can find brand-new bookcases at home goods stores.If you have more money to spend, buying new is a good option since newer units look better and are more durable.
Step 10: There is a basic system for organizing your collection.
You could start by grouping your collection into broad categories, such as fiction, non-fiction, and reference or textbooks.You can divide them into different genres, like "sci-fi/fantasy," "biography," or "true crime." Once you have your books grouped appropriately, arrange them on each shelf in alphabetical order by author.If you want to run a large library with a lot of books, you should keep a shelf list or a record of where your books are located.If you have a lot of books, it's not necessary to use the Dewey Decimal System to sort them.You can put the labels on your shelves.They will make it easier for visitors to find the titles they are looking for.
Step 11: Establish a procedure for checking out books.
You can give out your own library cards to people who want to join.When you sign up, make sure to get your full name, address, and phone number.The checkout process for most small libraries will be the same as making a note of who has what and when.Minor late fees and a cap on the number of books members can check out at a time are included.Large catalogs and mountains of member records can be managed with apps like iBookshelf, My Library, and Book Crawler.
Step 12: If your budget allows it, offer additional amenities.
You can use the remaining space in your library to stock items such as audiobooks, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, and similar periodicals.If you really want to go above and beyond, you might even give one or more computers to people who don't have internet access at home.You may need a license to distribute certain types of digital content.You can check your local business laws.Supplementary materials should be educational or informative.You don't want your library to be a video store.