How DIY-ers are repurposing old appliances into little street libraries

From outhouses, microwaves, cabinets and old fridges, creative DIY-ers are repurposing old appliances into bookshelves, creating a literary haven right from their front yard.

Street libraries have taken over the country. Picture: Street Library Australia

More than 5000 Aussies have taken the pledge to become street librarians, with the little street library movement exploding over the past four years.

From outhouses, microwaves, cabinets and old fridges, creative DIY-ers are repurposing old appliances into bookshelves, creating a literary haven right from their front yard.

Following the mantra of “take a book, leave a book,” these miniature libraries are transforming reading habits worldwide.

Black Cat Library was a bedside cabinet in a former life. Picture: Street Library Australia

Mel Lake, General Manager of Street Library Australia, said there are no rules around how people construct street libraries.

“If you’re strapped for time I would recommend purchasing one,” she said.

“Some street libraries build it from scratch, some of them download free plans from our website, and there’s also a raft of other street librarians that repurpose items they already own, fashioning them into a weatherproof structure.”

@asmalllife Building a little free library with things we already had and things I got at the thrift store! 📚#upcycle #littlefreelibrary #booktok #diy ♬ Reading Rainbow Theme Song - Reading Rainbow

A savvy TikToker spent less than $100 on creating their street library by thrifting an old cabinet, attaching it to a stump they had in their backyard.

The cabinet was then painted, cleaned and weatherproofed to ensure outdoor longevity. Continuing the thrifting theme, the street librarian filled it with second-hand books.

Mannuem Community Street Library was once an outhouse. Picture: Street Library Australia

Nestled in Mannuem is a former outhouse that has been transformed into a fully stocked library. Librarian Debbie Jackson officially opened the Mannuem Community Street Library one year ago, a touching tribute to her mum.

“She lived in the same little street for 54 years until her passing,” Ms Jackson wrote in a Facebook post, reflecting on how the library came to be.

“The seed of this idea swirled around for about 18 months before I wrote to the new owners of ‘mum’s place’ to ask would they consider letting me have the outhouse that had stood in the backyard for approximately 60 years.

Mannuem Community Street Library was created to honour Ms Jackson’s mum. Picture: Facebook

“It has taken around six months to prepare the toilet, litres and litres of undercoat, external and internal paint to create, adjust and fine tune the wall murals, paint the internals, create the new area for it to be put on stumps at our front gate, put in shelves, do the final fit-out and add the books and games.

“I’m not an artist but every brushstroke has been filled with love and I hope you love the final result as much as I do.”

It’s described as a “happy place” for both adults and children, with books from all genres restocked weekly and a pen pal program for young readers.

Jericho Street Library was once a bus shelter. Picture: Street Library Australia

In Jericho an old bus shelter was given a new lease on life and now houses a little street library and in Manly West a bar fridge was rescued from landfill, now serving as a fully-enclosed bookshelf.

Ernie, a black cat, was honoured with its own street library, “Black Cat Library,” with Wavell Heights locals befriending the friendly feline as they stop by the library.

But it’s not just books that residents are trading.

Revamps Street Library on Macleay Island was constructed with the help of the local Men’s Shed. Picture: Street Library Australia

On Macleay Island the local Men’s Shed constructed a vibrant street library complete with a drawer for locals to swap seedlings.

And a street librarian in Kingston designed a “gifting economy,” a street library with community vegetable gardens, rock swapping area, market and a pantry.

The library has become so popular that more than 3000 locals have joined a Facebook group dedicated entirely to the “street market.”

Kicking it at Kingston Library has become an open street market. Picture: Street Library Australia

“I have had a connection to the area for over 30 years and the reputation does not adequately describe the diverse and friendly people of Logan,” the passionate librarian wrote.

“I chose to make my footpath a place for people to share their abundance. Very quickly after I launched it, the community grabbed it and transformed it. It is twice the size that I had envisioned, I have a continuous surplus of awesomeness waiting to come out.

“I refer to it as our gifting economy as a way to honour each other. The library I made with my old spice cupboard and all the other parts were found during kerbside collection. Our library represents an environmentally sustainable movement, bring opportunities to an area that is often criticised and rarely accurately described.

“My kids are blessed to see the value of books and community come together to build endless possibilities.”

Ms Lake encouraged new street librarians to register their library on the Street Library database.