Woman Transforms Rotting Tree In Her Yard Into Charming Neighborhood Library

An artist in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is charming the Internet with her repurposing of an old rotting tree.

Sharalee Armitage Howard had a 100-plus year old cottonwood tree rotting outside of her home. The tree was becoming dangerous but rather than cut it down completely she decided to make it into something the whole neighborhood could enjoy.

“We had to remove a huge tree that was over 110 years old, so I decided to turn it into a little free library (which I’ve always wanted),” Sharalee wrote on her Facebook page. “Here it is (minus some cleanup, vegetation, and trim work)!”

The converted tree – which she calls the “Little Free (Tree) Library” – provides books to anyone who would like one. It’s simple “Take a book, share a book”. But rather than a simple book case, Sharalee transformed the stump into something wonderful.

Not only does the tree library have an exterior light to illuminate the path to the glass door, there’s even a light inside to illuminate the book case.

There are stone steps leading up the path to the nook which is sealed by a swinging glass door, which lets people peek inside without having to open the door.

“A fun detail that didn’t show up in my first picture, is that the dental moulding above the door, is actually little, titled, wooden books,” she writes.

The books are all engraved with the titles of famous books.

A local news outlet came by and took a closer look at Sharlee’s library, and made the video below, which gives you a close up view of the Little Free Library.

Sharalee added she’s become a charter member of the Little Free Library, a community of people supporting little free libraries across the globe.

This art project would be a wonderful addition to any neighbourhood wouldn’t you agree?