An Arizona mother was heartbroken to discover that her Little Free Library had been deliberately removed. Posting under the username ScaleVivid on r/LittleFreeLibrary, she shared a photo of the library and explained that she had funded it herself and maintained it for the community for about a year. Despite clearly displaying its official LFL placard, the library was taken. Hundreds of Redditors responded with sympathy, sharing in ScaleVivid’s disappointment and frustration.
“My heart is just hurting. This was really important to me, and I really enjoyed it so much,” wrote ScaleVivid, who detailed how she had fought cancer and wanted to give back to the community. So, the Little Free Library became her medium for generosity, even on her tight budget.
People had been using it since May of last year, so she found it unthinkable that anyone would take this major source of happiness away from her. “This is actually unbelievable,” she remarked, saying how there was zero monetary value in the box or its contents. “I’m sad BECAUSE of all the joy it brought me.”
The comment section quickly filled with Redditors offering heartfelt condolences for ScaleVivid’s loss. “I’m saddened by this. Terrible news. People are awful,” one user wrote. Another expressed disbelief, commenting, “WHY are these being stolen?! I don’t understand.”
Social Media Reactions
Hundreds chimed in, offering advice on alternative resources, future theft prevention tips, and even pledges to donate money for ScaleVivid to get a new LFL. The mother responded with gratitude, saying her main reason for posting was to receive genuine encouragement since she knew the subreddit would understand how hurtful this situation is.
Reddit’s r/LittleFreeLibrary isn’t the only place that understands the impact of Little Free Libraries. In a r/unpopularopinion post attempting to argue that they are “often pointless and always performative,” thousands chimed in with comments and upvotes supporting and sharing their positive experiences with community-run LFLs.
Fortunately, ScaleVivid’s neighbors have been helpful, sharing security camera footage of the alleged thief, who appears to own a truck and live nearby. She also said she plans to contact the local police department to see whether they can help recover her LFL.
