Library Finds

I love my urban Seattle neighborhood, with its predominance of single-family residences, its convenient shopping venues and friendly independent bookstore, its proliferation of “Black Lives Matter” placards and—even now—Biden-Harris campaign signs. Since the pandemic began a year ago, I have done a great deal of walking around this area, escaping my office for both fresh air and exercise—outings made even more pleasant lately by my wife’s gift of a portable CD player (currently loaded with The Best of Bread).

During my rambles, I pass more than a handful of Little Free Libraries. Most of these post-topping book exchanges are filled with well-thumbed editions of novels by folks such as Kristin Hannah, Tom Clancy, Jodi Picoult, and Nicholas Sparks, or else with jigsaw puzzles. Recently, however, I peeked inside one such box to find ... two Raymond Chandler yarns. On a different day, I discovered copies in another box of works by Dashiell Hammett, Robert Crais, and Michael Gilbert. Evidently, I’m not the only local crime-fiction lover.

I’ve thought of packing along some advance reader copies, or else finished copies, of newer crime, mystery, and thriller novels as I take my daily perambulations, and slipping them into boxes I already know favor this genre. But what’s the etiquette here? Would those contributions be unwelcome? Not being familiar with how Little Free Libraries operate, I’d be grateful for any advice.