15 places to grab a book in Petaluma

Friends Hope Stewart, Deanna Stadler and Phyllis Sharrow each maintain a Little Free Library at their Petaluma homes. Stewart’s and Stadler’s were built to match their houses, and Sharrow describes hers as “potluck.”

They’re part of the growing movement that started in Wisconsin to promote literacy by setting out books for passersby to browse and perhaps take home to read.

Stewart, Stadler and Sharrow recent took a field trip through Petaluma to catalog and photograph all of the libraries they know about and found that each of them is different but equally charming.

“One was built to look like the home by a grandfather for his granddaughter,” Sharrow said. “Another was built by a Boy Scout troop, and another was decorated by schoolchildren. All the libraries have different borrowing habits.

“Mine is much loved by children, even though I am close to a grammar school and the public library. Nothing like taking a short walk down the street to get a fun book for bedtime reading.”

To pique public interest and promote literacy in Petaluma and elsewhere, the friends decided to share their list and photos. For more information about the parent organization, visit littlefreelibrary.org.

West side

637 Laurel St. off Cherry Street, at the end of Schumann Lane

422 Walnut St. off Kent Street

324 Keller St. off Washington Street

817 Bantam Way off Bodega Avenue

411 A St., between Fifth and Sixth streets

638 E St.

735 Mountain View Ave.

860 Mountain View Ave.

71 Purrington Rd. off I Street

Sunnyslope Road near I Street, across from the entrance to the walking trail

823 Madison St. between Ellis and Payran streets

East side

Pocket park across from 1440 Capri Ave., between Wood Sorrel Drive and Maria Drive

North Napa Drive in Petaluma Estates mobile home park (off McDowell Boulevard, south of Corona Road)

Maria Drive at Halleys Court, near 555 Maria Dr.

1663 O’Neel Drive (take Baywood Drive to Louise Drive to O’Neel Drive)