These private lending libraries are run by passionate women who love books and want to share their book collections with others in their community. These libraries often carry books that are not found in public libraries. Some libraries will have a fee to join or other requirements for lending. We encourage you to find out if you have a private lending library in your area!
Do you have a private lending library? Add your library
United States Australia Canada
Arkansas
The Blessed Library
Greenbrier, AR
United States
Contact: Jennifer Meeks, jennifer.meeks@protonmail.com
Our annual membership fee is currently $20. We have about 5,000 books, and I'm always adding more. Currently open by appointment only.
California
Neighborhood Children's Library
Berkeley, CA
United States
Contact: Kathie Johnson, kathie4johnson@gmail.com
Free children's library, with over 36,000 books. Age range from infant to teen-age, with books on every subject. Many books no longer available at public libraries. Currently I am open Thursdays 3 - 5:30, but most people make their own individual appointments through email.
Golden Lion Library
Grass Valley, CA
United States
Contact: LuAnn Hague
$20 one time fee
A Little Living Library
Sylmar, CA
United States
Contact: Jenn Little, jennllittle@outlook.com
I am hoping to open late 2024!
Colorado
The Treasure House
Evergreen, CO
United States
Contact: Kelli Bohanon, books@evergreenspiritliving.com
Opening late 2023.
Florida
Legacy Lending Library
Alachua , FL
United States
Contact: Marijo Taverne, marijotaverne@gmail.com
River City Library
Jacksonville, FL
United States
Contact: Heather Johnson, Rivercitylibrarycmresource@gmail.com
Flexible hours $120 per year
A Humble Place home lending library
Okeechobee, FL
United States
Contact: Stacie Bean, smbean3@gmail.com
The library is open on Tuesdays from 10-4, as well as once every three weeks on Thursday from 4-7. Fee is $10/month and must have a signed contract on file, renewed annually. Please contact me with questions or for further details, such as address. I love to help people find the books they’re looking for to guide or enhance their studies or simply for their free reading. I have an always growing collection of living books for all ages.
Living Learning Libraries
West Palm Beach (Palm Beach Gardens), FL
United States
Contact: Michelle Howard, LivingLearningLibraries@gmail.com
Over 36,000 wholesome, rare, engaging, meaningful, worthy living books at your fingertips in our 501c3/non-profit youth library, plus support for popular learning tools, such as Five-in-a-Row, CC, Charlotte Mason, Veritas, etc. All fostered by a volunteer team committed to your family's success, enrichment, and inspiration! Several membership levels, all tax-deductible. Open weekly Tuesdays (11-3) & Thursdays (2-6), and first Monday of each month (2-6).
Georgia
Hall's Living Library
Dallas, GA
United States
Contact: Sandy Hall, sandrahall311@yahoo.com
Over 17,000 treasured children's books! 50 years of collecting. Yearly family membership fee $150. It's not just about the books; it's about the friendships and relationships built. Membership also includes a free curriculum consultation and test results consultation, if desired. Please contact me for a tour to see if the library is a good fit for your family!
Cornerstone Living Library
Lilburn, GA
United States
Contact: Ashley Borrego, library@cbclilburn.org
Scheduled to open Fall 2023. Celebrating beautiful books through our living library as well as building community with our monthly storytimes and book clubs. Annual membership $25 per family for checking out books; no membership needed to attend events. A ministry of Cornerstone Bible Church.
Illinois
Swallowdale Library
Carbondale, IL
United States
Contact: Erica, Haroldnerica@gmail.com
Kentucky
Windy Hill Library
Leitchfield, KY
United States
Contact: Laura Witten, windyhilllibrary@gmail.com
We do not currently charge a fee or hold regular hours, but please contact me if interested in setting up a time to visit or meet. The library is still small, under 2000 books, but I do plan to add more and get the catalog back online by 2025.
Maryland
Maryland Living Books Library
Mount Airy, MD
United States
Contact: Kristi Stansfield, tarpfarmer@gmail.com
Currently lending by appointment only.
Massachusetts
The Steinmann Library
Springfield, MA
United States
Contact: Kyndra Ferguson Steinmann, kfsteinmann@gmail.com
$40/ family per year - Open by appointment or when homeschool events are going on in my home.
Michigan
Children's Preservation Library
Traverse City, MI
United States
Contact: Michelle Howard, CPL@speedconnect.com
Over 20,000 wholesome, rare, engaging, meaningful, worthy living books at your fingertips, plus support for popular learning tools. All fostered by a volunteer team committed to your family's success, enrichment, and inspiration! Several membership levels available. Schoolyear hours (Labor Day to Memorial Day) Mondays & Thursdays (1-5). Summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Wednesdays, 10-1. Come feast!
Minnesota
Loft & Field
North Branch, MN
United States
Contact: Stephanie Lewis, info@loftandfield.com
Loft & Field is a Charlotte Mason educational farm in North Branch, MN. We feature local classes, nature adventures, and parent support groups. We also maintain a beautiful curated living books library. We believe that education should be beautiful and we invite you to marvel in wonder with us!
New Mexico
Christian Home Education Resource Center
Albuquerque, NM
United States
Contact: Kara, info@ercabq.org
The Christian Home Education Resource Center is a free homeschool lending library. We are open Fridays from 10am - 4pm August - May.
New York
VonEiff Family Library
Sayville, NY
United States
Contact: Jennifer VonEiff, jjvoneiff@yahoo.com
We are by appointment only right now.
North Carolina
The Little Bookroom
Charlotte (Mint Hill), NC
United States
Contact: Bonnie Buckingham, kbuckingham@carolina.rr.com
By Appointment/ Yearly fee is 60.00
Lynn Custer’s Library
Fuquay Varina, NC
United States
Contact: Lynn Custer, lynisms@gmail.com
Written Treasures
Triangle area, NC
United States
Contact: Emy Damian
In the works to start lending curated boxes of written treasures to subscribers by fall 2023. Pilot program in progress! Follow our journey on Facebook or Instagram.
Ohio
Families United Lending Library
Hudson, OH
United States
Contact: C.Thibaudeau, familiesunitedll@gmail.com
Opening April 2024. Anticipated monthly membership fee $10 per month. Email with questions. Soft open available with personal recommendation from a friend.
Hidden Treasures Library
near Marion, OH
United States
Contact: Michelle Fournier, ed-mich@hotmail.com
We are a newly opened Living Books Homeschool Lending Library delighting in sharing our favorite books and stories with others! +6500 books. We are located just outside Marion, OH about 45 minutes north of Columbus. Currently open by appointment so please do contact me if you are interested! We have regular hours Thursday afternoons during most of the school year. No fees.
Oklahoma
His Word Christian Library
Chickasha, OK
United States
Contact: Amanda Smith, hiswordchristianlibrary@gmail.com
We are open Tuesday 4-8 and Saturday 10-2. The membership fee is $10 a month.
Pursell Schubert Legacy Library
Oklahoma City, OK
United States
Contact: Mary Schubert, 2012PSLL@gmail.com
$100 Annual Membership Fee. Open by appointment only.
Schola Living Books
Stillwater, OK
United States
Contact: Heather Hawkins, scholalivingbooks@gmail.com
Cottage Acres Lending Library
Tulsa, OK
United States
Contact: Mollie Kunkee, cottageacreslendinglibrary@gmail.com
Coming Soon!
Oregon
Carr Living Library
Redmond, OR
United States
Contact: Laura Carr, lcarr333@live.com
Carr Living Library is a small private library with 1700+ books currently listed in our catalogue. We are continually adding new books and growing. Right now we are open by appointment only, but hope to add regular weekly hours soon.
Pennsylvania
Green Pastures Living Library
Collegeville, PA
United States
Contact: Emera Kim, kim.emera@gmail.com
Little Library in the Big Woods
Sellersville, PA
United States
Contact: Erin Ensinger, littlelibrarybw@gmail.com
Library visits by appointment only.
Tennessee
Living Books Library
Bristol, TN
United States
Contact: Emily Kiser, info@livingbookslibrary.com
We serve patrons in the Tri-Cities, TN, Bristol, VA and greater Washington County, VA through an annual membership to use our 20,000 volume collection. Check out periods are for 1 month with no renewals, and current library hours can be found on our site.
Hughes Living Library
Murfreesboro/Rockvale, TN
United States
Contact: Katie Hughes, hugheslivinglibrary@gmail.com
We love to support local families in their efforts to provide for their children books full of truth, beauty, and goodness. There is an annual fee for membership, which runs August 1 - July 31, as well as a limited number of families admitted for membership each year. Our home is open for library hours twice monthly and by appointment for families who need it. We are currently working to get our catalog uploaded for patrons to browse online and plan to offer that as part of membership in the upcoming year beginning August 1. Fostering community is a very important part of what we do here, and it's beautiful to see parents and children making connections!
Children’s Legacy Library
Rogersville , TN
United States
Contact: Robin Pack, childrenslegacylibrary@gmail.com
The vision of Children’s Legacy Library is to enable families to give their children the gift of living ideas through living books. We currently have over 18,000 volumes in all subjects to make learning come alive. We also feature Five in a Row totes each containing a main title as well as go-along books. Annual membership fee is $75. Hours are typically the Monday, Thursday, and Friday of the first full week of the month and Tuesday the following week.. **Coming in May 2023!! Children’s Legacy Library will celebrate its 15th anniversary in its new location! A larger, custom-designed space means room for more books!
Green Door Children's Heritage Library
Soddy Daisy, TN
United States
Contact: Jeannette Tulis, jmtulis@gmail.com
No fee, open by appointment only. Located just north of Chattanooga, TN. Mostly out of print children’s living books, also a good selection of Charlotte Mason resources.
Texas
The LLF Library
Dallas, TX
United States
Contact: Elizabeth Cunningham, Cunningham.Maryelizabeth@gmail.com
Open Thursdays 2-6pm and by appointment Membership $50/year.
Meriadoc Homeschool Library
Houston, TX
United States
Contact: Sherry Early, sherry.pray4you@gmail.com
Meriadoc Homeschool Library is located in SE Houston (Clear Lake City). We have more than 10,000 living books for you to borrow from, and the yearly membership fee is only $60.00. Email librarian Sherry Early for more information or to arrange a tour.
The Bookkeeper Books
Tyler, TX
United States
Contact: Vicki Walker, thebookkeepers2020@sbcglobal.net
Not lending yet; hopefully 2024.
Virginia
Ourthotful Spot Library
Earlysville, VA
United States
Contact: Wendy King, ourthotfulspot@yahoo.com
I have over 25,000 books on just about any topic imaginable and FIAR totes. I am open by appointment only. I love books and reading, and have been collecting books for 20+ years (love of older books), and the books overflow off the shelves.
Holly Corner Library
Fredericksburg, VA
United States
Contact: Amy Fluharty, hollycornerlibrary@gmail.com
Please email for more information on fees and availability.
Washington
The Kearney Library
Kettle Falls, WA
United States
Contact: M'Lynn Kearney, emkearney89@yahoo.com
I have a membership library of 12,000 - 14,000 books, of which the majority are living books from the 1940s-1970. I lend to members by appointment at this point.
Two Acre Books
Spokane, WA
United States
Contact: Amanda Downing, hello@twoacrebooks.com
Literary Legacy Library
Tacoma, WA
United States
Contact: Katie Levans, katie.levans44@gmail.com
Open by appointment only.
West Virginia
Covenant Family Library
Martinsburg, WV
United States
Contact: Elizabeth Jones, biblioholic1228@yahoo.com
Open Fridays, 10-12 mornings and 2-5 afternoons. $60 basic annual membership, $60 Five in a Row annual membership, $100 combined annual membership.
Wisconsin
Plumfield Living Books Library
Denmark, WI
United States
Contact: Sara Masarik, plumfieldlivinglibrary@gmail.com
Welcome to Plumfield Living Books Library in North East Wisconsin! We are a micro-library with just over 3,500 books at this time. $75 Annual Membership Fee. Open on the Second and Fourth Saturdays of the Month.
Living Education Library
Edgerton, WI
United States
Contact: Kathleen Seeger, livingeducationlibrary@gmail.com
Open House and Re-Opening Planned June 21, 2023!
Wyoming
Split Rocks Lending Library
Sheridan, WY
United States
Contact: Diane Pendergraft, dianependergraft@hotmail.com
Coming Soon! He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers. Psalm 78:15-16
Adventure awaits
To those who believe what you read is just as important as reading itself, Biblioguides gives you the resources and tools to discover the right book for the right person at the right moment.
Your next book journey begins here.
