1,500 sq ft (140 m2) or so should be all you need to house your materials quite comfortably. However, you could operate a modest library with a layout as small as 500 sq ft (46 m2), such as a storefront shop or office space. There’s no need to apply for any kind of special license in order to start your own library, unless you plan on providing access to certain types of digital content, such as licensed media, software, and databases. In that case, you may be subjected to fees, subscriptions, and other licensing requirements. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Library Association Oldest library nonprofit association in the world, dedicated to promoting libraries and library education internationally. Go to source
Schools, churches, rec centers, and similar gathering places can all make great locations for a public library. If you decide to base your library in a communal building, keep in mind that it may be off-limits during key hours depending on their class, service, or business schedule. Seeking space in a busy public facility can draw lots of attention to your library without the need to advertise.
One of the biggest 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. Don’t forget to get permission from the proprietor of the building as well if the business owner is leasing their location.
Situate your book exchange hub outside your home, in the cul-de-sac of your neighborhood, or in another safe, well-lit, sheltered spot. It’s even possible to make your book exchange hub part of a larger network of little libraries by registering it with a participating organization. [6] X Research source Maintaining a book exchange hub may be the way to go if you don’t have the money to rent a physical location, or if you’ve been turned down by the community leaders or business owners you’ve approached.
Think about the people that make up your community. If they’re mostly retirees, you might make room for more large-print books and periodicals. If there are quite a few families, a well-stocked children’s section is likely to be a hit. If space allows, you also have the option of carrying a wide variety of genres and titles to ensure that there’s something there for everyone.
Hold an on-site book drive event where people can come to unload their old and unwanted books, or start a mobile collection service to go around and pick them up yourself. Keep in mind that 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. [11] X Trustworthy Source American Library Association Oldest library nonprofit association in the world, dedicated to promoting libraries and library education internationally. Go to source Post a wishlist of specific books you’re after on your social media page. That way, you’ll be much more likely to actually get the items you want.
Most publishing houses provide contact info for marketing and business-related inquiries on their websites. Make it clear to the representative you speak to that you don’t intend to sell their books for profit. Otherwise, they may try to charge you a higher distributor rate.
Hunt for matching sets of bookshelves and cases at antique stores and consignment shops. You can often find brand-new bookcases at home goods stores for $50-100 apiece. Buying new is a helpful option if you have a little more money to spend, since newer units look better and tend to be more durable. [14] X Research source
If your goal is to run a library with a big inventory, you’ll probably want to keep a shelf list, or a detailed record of how your books are classified and where to locate them on the shelves. Municipal public libraries rely on a complex method of organization known as the Dewey Decimal System to sort their books, but this is really only necessary if you have many hundreds or thousands of books. [16] X Research source Print labels to go on your shelves. They’ll make the sorting process easier and help direct your visitors to the titles they’re looking for.
Set a cap for the number of books that members can check out at one time, along with minor late fees for titles that aren’t back by their agreed-upon return date. Apps like iBookshelf, My Library, and Book Crawler may also be useful for managing large catalogs and mountains of member records. [18] X Research source
You may need a license in order to legally distribute certain types of digital content. Check your local business laws for more information. [20] X Trustworthy Source American Library Association Oldest library nonprofit association in the world, dedicated to promoting libraries and library education internationally. Go to source Make sure that the supplementary materials you stock are educational or informative in some way. You don’t want your library to turn into a glorified video store.
