The Sharing Shelf Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is The Sharing Shelf?
The Sharing Shelf is a family-friendly Little Free Library located in Chino, CA. Our mission is to share books with the community, especially kids, and to promote a love of reading. It’s a place where anyone can take a book or leave a book to share with others.How does The Sharing Shelf work?
It’s simple! If you see a book you’d like to read, feel free to take it. Once you’re done, you can return it to this Little Free Library or any other one in your area. You’re also welcome to leave a book for others to enjoy!Can I share about The Sharing Shelf on social media?
Absolutely! We are on Instagram as @OurSharingShelf ! We encourage you to take photos and share your finds using the hashtag #TheSharingShelfChinoLFL. Tagging us helps spread the word and encourages more people to get involved!Can I take a book without leaving one?
YES! We do not require you to have a book to share before taking one. A lot of people don't have books to share and that's ok! Our goal is to share books with the community above all. Please take a book even if you don't have one to share. That would make us so happy. If you do have a book to share, please do but if you don't take a book anyway!Where is The Sharing Shelf located?
For privacy reasons, we don't share our exact address on this website, however, our Little Free Library is located in Chino,CA and can be found on the Little Free Library App!What types of books can I donate?
We accept all kinds of family-friendly books that are in tact and in good condition. They don't have to be perfect. A worn book is a traveled and well read one. It has stories beyond it's own! If they have a little bit of writing in them that's ok. We love to accept these books:
General Fiction
Non-Fiction
Bestsellers
All Children’s Books
Young adult books
Classics
Novels
Biographies
Memoirs
DIY books
Educational Books
Graphic Novels
Comics
Poetry
Short story collections
Seasonal and Holiday Books
Books in multiple languages
Self published books
Inspiring and Uplifting books are all great for The Sharing Shelf.What types of books are NOT accepted?
The Sharing Shelf would not like these books, they would make the The Sharing Shelf sad...
Any Adult content containing explicit materials. This includes any materials with explicit sexual content, graphic nudity, or adult themes that are not suitable for general audiences.
No graphic violence: Books that contain extreme or gratuitous violence, gore, or horror may not be appropriate, especially for younger readers.
No hate speech or discriminatory content: Avoid books that promote racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other form of discrimination.
No extreme political or religious propaganda: While it's fine to have books with different viewpoints, avoid placing materials that are aggressively political or preachy, as they might alienate members of our community.
No advertisements, flyers, or business cards: Little Free Libraries are meant for books and reading materials, so it’s best to leave out marketing materials.
No magazines or newspapers (unless they are of high literary or educational value, like National Geographic or Smithsonian): These can quickly clutter the space or become outdated.
No books with missing pages, heavy writing, or damage: Books should be in good, readable condition to ensure they are enjoyable for others.
No old textbooks, outdated self-help books, outdated travel guides, manuals, or encyclopedias: These tend to be less popular, become irrelevant over time and may no longer be helpful or accurate.
No advance reader copies (ARCs) that are marked "Not for Sale": Publishers often distribute these with the condition that they are not to be sold or distributed freely.Can I donate other items besides books?
At this time The Sharing Shelf only accepts books. Please do not leave magazines, advertisements, flyers, or non-book items in the library.Is there a limit to how many books I can take?
There’s no set limit at The Sharing Shelf, but we encourage you to take only what you’ll read and consider leaving a book in return to help keep the library stocked for others.How do you ensure the books are family-friendly?
We regularly monitor The Sharing Shelf to ensure that all books are appropriate for readers of all ages, especially children. If we find any unsuitable books, they are promptly removed.How do I donate books?
You can drop books off at The Sharing Shelf. We will get them. We don't have a lot of space to store books, however we don't turn books away unless they are not family friendly. Those books are disposed of and we don't donate them.What should I do if the library is full?
If you notice the library is full, please hold onto your donations for a bit and visit The Sharing Shelf again. If you cannot come back, please leave them at The Sharing Shelf. Please don't ring the doorbell though!I donated books but I don't see them in The Sharing Shelf what happened?
We try to change books out weekly to give the community something new to look at. If you don't see your books, maybe someone took it! Goal accomplished! Maybe it's in rotation. If it was broken or had torn pages, we don't put those in there.Can I get involved in maintaining The Sharing Shelf?
Absolutely! We love community support. You can donate books, if you see The Sharing Shelf in disarray, you can straighten the books for the community. If you see materials unsuitable for The Sharing Shelf before we do, you are welcome to remove them. Thank you for helping us out!Is The Sharing Shelf part of the official Little Free Library network?
Yes! The Sharing Shelf is registered with the official Little Free Library organization. Our charter sign arrived on June 9, 2017, which means we're on the world map of Little Free Libraries.Can I share books in other languages?
Yes, we welcome books in all languages. Offering diverse reading materials can be a great way to reach more members of our community. Please make sure they are family friendly as well!What happens if someone takes all the books?
Uh oh! Don’t worry! The Sharing Shelf is regularly restocked by our family and generous community members. If you see it empty, feel free to share a book to help refill it.How can I dedicate a book or donate in memory of someone?
We would be honored to accept book donations in memory of a loved one. Feel free to leave a note inside the book letting readers know the book's dedication.Who maintains The Sharing Shelf?
The Sharing Shelf is maintained by The Cullen family.What should I do if I notice damage to the Little Free Library?
If you notice any damage or issues, don't ring the door bell please! Please contact us through the website. We will get your message asap. We will try to make repairs it as soon as possible. We want to keep The Sharing Shelf safe and welcoming for everyone.How do I report damaged books or issues with the library?
First, we apologize for any issues that may have come up at The Sharing Shelf. We hope to be able to fix any issues. Please contact us using our contact page or messages us on our Instagram! If there are damaged books, we will eventually removed them. If you would like to help maintain The Sharing Shelf for the community, we would appreciate it if you see any damaged books before we do, please remove them.How do I report damaged books or issues with the library?
First, we apologize for any issues that may have come up at The Sharing Shelf. We hope to be able to fix any issues. Please contact us using our contact page or messages us on our Instagram!