In my own neighborhood, something delightful has been happening lately. I’ve noticed a wonderful trend of “free libraries” popping up.

These little libraries are housed in mailboxes or similar structures right on the street, where people can take and leave books for others to enjoy.

The concept is simple yet heartwarming. You can borrow a book for free, read it, and then return it. If you’re feeling generous, you can even leave a few of your own used books for others to discover.

While the free libraries in my area are all painted boxes of some sort, I recently came across something truly extraordinary. I discovered that a talented woman named Sharalee Armitage Howard, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, had transformed a 110-year-old dead tree in her front yard into a magical free library.

Sharalee, a librarian, artist, and former bookbinder, had an brilliant idea. Instead of removing and destroying the old cottonwood tree stump, she decided to turn it into a free tree library. The inside of the stump was carefully carved out, a roof was added, and the cozy interior was beautifully lit up. Let me tell you, this is the most charming free library I’ve ever seen!