Hickory Hill is getting a
Little Free Library!

A few neighbors suggested the pavilion, and I get the appeal — it's central. But the footpath entrance is close to my home, which lets me do quick daily checks, restock as needed, and keep an eye on things. That kind of active stewardship is what keeps a small amenity looking cared for instead of neglected.

The footpath also sees gentler, more residential foot traffic, which suits a quiet book exchange. Given some of the misuse the community has already experienced at the swing set area, I'd rather start in a spot where I can be hands-on.

I do — happily, and for as long as I live in Hickory Hill. That means regular inspections, cleaning, tidying the area around it, and occasional touch-ups. It also means quietly removing any books that aren't appropriate for a family-friendly setting (a normal part of stewarding any little library), and rotating in fresh selections so the shelves don't get stale.

If I ever move, I'll either transfer stewardship to another willing neighbor or remove the library and restore the area myself. The HOA will never inherit it as a problem.

From all of us! Books for the library will come from community donations and free/secondhand sources — I won't be buying new books for it. The whole point of a Little Free Library is the natural "take a book, leave a book" flow, and a healthy library mostly stocks itself once it's up and running.

I'll keep an eye on the shelves and supplement when needed (kids' books especially tend to disappear fast — which is a wonderful problem to have). When the library is open, I'll put out a call for donations.

By design, no — and this was a deliberate choice. The Little Free Library nonprofit offers official registration, which puts your library on a public, searchable world map. That's lovely for public roadside libraries, but it can also draw visitors from outside the neighborhood into our shared spaces.

Since this will sit in a Hickory Hill common area, I'd rather keep it as a private neighborhood amenity. As a previous registered steward, the practical value of being on the map was minimal anyway. If the Board ever prefers we register it down the road, I'll happily do that.

Any extra goes straight into a maintenance reserve held separately for the library — for minor repairs, replacement hardware, fresh paint or sealant down the road, that kind of thing. If a major repair is ever needed (e.g., storm damage that exceeds the reserve), I'd ask the community for help on that specific expense. The HOA will never be asked to contribute, and I'll keep simple records I'm happy to share.