The Little Free Library (LFL) initiative started in 2009 in Hudson, Wis., when Todd Bol built a small book-sharing box in the shape of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his late mother, who was a teacher and loved to read.

Today, book-sharing boxes in all shapes and sizes can be found worldwide and are managed by stewards, who build and install the boxes and then maintain them by assuring that they are filled with books for both children and adults. Many add other small items to share as well, including small toys or bookmarks.

Locally, the newest box, with the motto of "Take a book, share a book," has been built and installed by Autumn and Tommy Rinck of Narvon, who are calling their box "The Backroad Bookshelf" because of its rural location. Along with homemade bookmarks, the box also contains a jar of dog treats because of the couple's love of dogs. Those who visit the box are invited to sign their name in a guestbook if they choose.

Autumn explained that she has a great love of books and reading and wanted to share books with others. "I like anything from romance to thrillers," she said, noting that she frequently visited LFLs throughout the area. "I always went to Little Free Libraries, and I always wanted to make one. We moved here two years ago. We were from (New) Jersey, and we lived on a highway, and it wasn't the best place to have a little library."

Although LFL kits are available to order, Autumn and Tommy built their own wooden box and painted it blue. "We built it from scratch. We went and bought the materials, and we built it in the garage over a couple of weekends," said Tommy, adding, "We even decorated it for Christmas." The box still remains lit at night with small twinkle lights.

In order to anchor the box, the couple placed its support beam into a bucket filled with cement rather than placing it into the ground. "(We used) a five-gallon bucket, and we stuck it in the planter and put stone in the bottom of the planter with dirt on top," Autumn explained.

"That way if we move, we can take it with us," Tommy noted.

Some of the LFLs the couple frequently visits are Ellyn Honey's LFL in Mohnton, Captain's Bookshelf LFL in Mohnton and the one at Hopewell Lake in Elverson. "We were in Alabama for vacation, and we visited a few down there," Tommy added.

"We go around to different little libraries and drop books off. I have an Instagram where I put pictures of them and information about them," noted Autumn. "The Little Free Library has a website and app, and they have a map, so you can see where all the little libraries are."

Autumn's Instagram photos and videos can be found @racewifereads.

Since its installation, many neighbors have utilized the box, including children. "We have a couple of kids on our street, and their parents told me that each day they come and take a book and at bedtime the parents read it to them. They bring it back the next day and take another book," said Autumn.

They are also intrigued by the different ways that people construct and decorate their book-sharing boxes. "I like how unique everybody's is. We have been to so many, and none of them are ever the same," Tommy said.

The Backroad Bookshelf is located at 2358 Echo Drive, Narvon. For more information, search for "The Backroad Bookshelf" on Facebook. More information about starting an LFL and the map of other local boxes can be found at http://www.littlefreelibrary.org.