Bike Tour of Swap Boxes and Little Free Libraries

Swap Boxes and Little Free Libraries are a great way to share books and other items amongst neighbours and passersby. Here’s how they work: usually streetside, people are enticed to open them up. If something inside strikes their fancy they can take or exchange the item with something else. I started this route back in 2016, updating the map annually with boxes as they come and go, or as they have been modified. Everyone who has one loves the joy and sharing that they contribute to the community!

We were inspired to put up a swap box in front of our place after discovering a number of others around town that had been created by the late street artist Elmaks. There is also an online group you can register your book swap box called Little Free Libraries. Here’s an article in the Kitchissippi Times on some of those local little libraries.

First stop – Cambridge St North Swap box, just north of the Chinatown Arch. This one has separate little art box that is updated regularly.

Our next box is Down Nanny Goat Cliff on Rochester St.

One square block south-west there sits this converted newspaper box at the corner of Preston and Elm. 

Next it’s over to this great swap box at 249 Loretta Avenue. n.b. If any box is full, I suggest not leaving items outside the box, especially on the ground in dog pee zone.

A couple of blocks west at the corner of Beech Street and Bayswater Avenue you can’t miss this colourful Little Free Library/Boîte à livres.

South on Bayswater brings you to this fine box whose design imitates that of the home infront of which it sits.

A few blocks up a hill you will find this very well constructed Little Free Library on Gwynne Ave.

Head over to this clever ‘A-Frame’ box on Melrose.

This beautifully painted box is just a few yards further up Melrose.

Then it’s over to 94 Spadina Ave. where sits this tall red box, another fine imitation of it’s host house.

Breeze on over to Breezehill Ave where you will find this fine unit with old car licence plate roof shingles.

This generous box on Garland sits comfortably on a wall.

Heading west through Hintonburg brings you to this big one at 50 Ladoucer. Unfortunately the text that was originally on the front of this unit explaining that it it was a swap box has almost completely faded leaving no indication for those that don’t already know.

A bit further west in Hintonburg you will find a box near the corner of Oxford & Pinehurst. This one has quite a history.  In the Fall of 2016 someone complained about it’s original sprawling bungalow styling to city by-law and the owners were told to take it down by September 16th. Fortunately there was a last minute stay of execution and it got a reprieve. It was then replaced it with a more compact design, and has since gradually grown and evolved into the multi-unit that is there now.

Further west you will find this nice big box on Gilchrist Ave.

Across the transitway sits this fine tall box on Northwestern Avenue.

A short distance south on Northwestern you will find this box.

This ‘Bibliothèque’ can be found on W Village Private.

This ‘Children’s books only’ box on Garrison St sits low to the ground making it easier for young’uns to access.

Just south of Wellington on Mayfair there is not one, but TWO boxes safely distanced apart.

A few blocks south brings us to this little library at 436 Mayfair.

Our route goes another couple of blocks east to visit this great Little Library on Kenora St. that has started to lean a bit over time.

A block south on Java St it’s pretty hard to miss this extremely well built monster ‘little’ library.

Then it’s under the Queensway over to this colourful box at the edge of St Stephen’s church on Sherwood.

A few blocks south on Hamilton Ave S you will find this fine box.

Right around the corner on Inglewood you will find this friendly offering.

Over to this sharing box on Holland.

Further west on Ruskin there sits this beautiful cedar shingled little library with a cute little swap box addition. This box has a sad story associated with it: in 2017 someone set fire to it’s original incarnation. Undeterred, the builders got to work and like the legendary Phoenix, this wonderul replacement rose from it’s ashes.

Over to Island Park Drive where this super sweet ‘petit bibliotheque’ has mini toad-stools for little ones to rest upon.

This next box on Clarendon was made and installed by Chris of the Ottawa Outdoor Gear Library.

Then there’s this fine box at the corner of Mayfair and Iona.

Two boxes are at the corner of Brennan and Iona, one dedicated to kids.

Over to this very beautifuly painted box on Evered Ave.

Over to this one at Edison & Kenwood where locals can grab their mail AND a book! The note infront asks that books not be left outside the box.

This box on Melbourne is a very nice design. A paintedlandcape on the front is intersected by the round window.

A detour north brings us to this little library on Atlantis Ave.

Over to 571 Roosevelt to visit this fine box.

The next one has a corrugated metal roof! Very clever.

A vintage window with mullions serves as the front of this box on Rowanwood Ave making it easier to peruse the selection before without exposing the books to the elements. Very handy during inclement weather!

This box on Knightsbridge Rd was once red and now it’s white.

This big red row boat shaped box can be found on Deschênes St.

Next one is in New Orchard Park.

You can find this book box on Midway Ave near Ancaster. Based on similarites in design with the last box I have a sneaking suspicion they came from the same source.

A slight detour south to the Glabar Park neighbourhood brings you to this double-duty Little Library on Lenester Avenue. The upper box has stained glass windows!

Down Woodland Avenue brings you to this fine box.

Here is a converted sticker decorated newspaper box on Chambers Ave.

The route branches off south-westerly to visit the next three boxes. First stop is at the corner of Ryan and Southwood Drive with a bench to relax and peruse the offerings!

The second is at 30 Harrison St that uses the JUTIS frosted cabinet door from Ikea and a cord to keep it closed.

The third is at 32 Abingdon Dr with a traditional styled hinged door. 

This box on Charing Road is set a ways back from the curb but the owners kindly put down a series of flagstones to help you get there.

Over on Côte-des-Neiges Rd you will find this elegant box with the 10 Rights of Readers noted on one side.

Next box is on Ainsley Drive with a very clever log base and colourful siding.

Heading back east brings usto this swap box at the corner of Sherman and Navaho Drive which has a little path leading up from the intersection. 

This bright red box can be found on Marygrove Circle.

Just around the corner on Terrebonne Drive there is this colourful unit.

Over to Caldwell Ave to visit this generous book exchange.

This playful box is located a bit further north at the corner of McBride and Woodward.

This fine box on Laperriere isn’t going anywhere soon, with it’s solid specially poured concrete base! It also has a note in the window reminding users that leaving the door ajar lets rain in, thus ruining the books.

This sweet box is a bit further east along Laperriere.

The Alexander Community Centre has this fine big box on a stable wooden base.

This fun box is suspended from a tree infront of 816 Fisher Ave.

A few blocks over on Emperor St you will be able to sit on this nice bench while perusing this box’s offerings.

Over to 28 Sutton Place. This box is special as it was built and installed by one of Ottawa’s most passionate cycling advocates, Hans On Bike.

There’s a nice big box outside St Mark’s Anglican church on Fisher.

The next most excellent box is on Bowhill Avenue.

Head on south to Tennyson St to visit this double box. Note how it’s colours match the home.

Next stop is over the river on Uplands Drive where you will find this great box called the Oak Tree Free Library.

Over to Cahill St.  The green box to the right is labelled ‘Kids Book Nook’.

You will find this ‘Kids Books Only’ box along Owl Drive, which must get alot of visits as it is right beside Bayhview Public School.

Next, over to this great box on Colman St.

Next is this tree mounted model on Hobson Road.

Next check out this fine unit on Springland Drive.

Over to this wide unit on Upper Otterson Pla. It has two small solar powered units that I’m guessing are lights. Will have to go back when it’s dark to confirm.

This one on Revelstoke Drive is supported by a re-purposed bbq stand.

The next few boxes to discover are in the Glebe. This one’s on Fourth Avenue, just east of Bronson. 

This box is on Fifth Avenue.

A few blocks north on First Ave the Glorious Glebe-St James United Church hosts find this colourful box.

This next box over on Thornton has great vertical proportions!

Half way down the block on the opposite side of Thornton you will discover this great Book Sharing Zone.

A bit further south on Queen Elizabeth Place you will find this Dr Zeuss inspired little library.

Next two boxes are on Broadway Ave. First,this Little Prince box.

Then, this ampersand box.

Bit of a ride through Ottawa South to get to our next Mondrian inspired box on Belmont Ave.

Next, over to this tree mounted box on Ossignton Avenue.

A bit further down Ossington you will find Sylvia’s Little Free Library.

Next is a short side loop over the Rideau River to visit this robust Little Library on Pleasant Park Road. The most convenenient access to Alta Vista along this route is along the awful narrow Bank Street bridge over the Rideau River. Walking your bike along the sidewalk bridge is usually the safest option.

Over on Blossom Drive you will find this very welcoming box.

A short loop through the Alta Vista neighbourhood first brings us to this beautifully painted box on Featherstone Drive. 

Further west you will find this double-decker unit!

Our next stop on our Alta Vista loop brings us to this one at 1647 Pullen Ave. 

Continuing on our loop through Alta Vista brings us to this cleverly designed mobile unit on Knox Crescent.

Head back on over to the north shore of the Rideau River and follow the path along to the river to Belmont Drive where you will find this super sweet box.

On Riverdale Ave you will find this delicately painted two level unit.

Walk your bike one block north to our next stop along Riverdale.

A couple of blocks over you will see this great little library at 146 Sunnyside Avenue. Big footprint shaped concrete pavers invite passersby to peruse the shelves.

This nicely crafted box is located a bit further north on Glencairn Avenue.

Our next great box can be found just around the corner on Riverdale Ave. This one also has a generous concrete bench infront of it.

A bit north east on Belgrave Road lives 2-d00r box.

Our next box on Clegg St imitates the house infront of which it stands. It even has a piece of the stone panelling left over from the contruction of the house incorporated into the base of the box.

Over on Mason Terrace there’s this nice blue box.

Close by on Bower Street we find another fine box.

Nary a block over is this great box on Mutchmor Road.

Close by on Merritt Ave you will find this great little library.

Up on Drummen St you will find this beauty.

Just a few meters down Drummond Street there sits this box-within-a-box.

Just a couple of blocks north you can find this box on Glanora Street.

On Evelyn Ave you will find this glorious tower of a library.

Along Echo Drive in front of The Church of the Ascension you will find this fine box.

Ride north along the Rideau Canal pathway then cut through the Ottawa U campus. Once you cross King Edward, push your bike a short distance along the east sidewalk to this forlorn box, bravely located on one of the craziest streets in the city.

Head back to ther lights and continue east along Somerset E through the Sandy Hill neighbourhood. At the corner of Templeton and Chapel Streets sits this big blistering blue box.

Next there’s this box on Marlborough Ave.

Another one on Golbourn.

Another great Sandy Hill box on Osgoode.

You will find this Book Library near the north/east corner of Stewart. It has a stepping stone to allow smaller readers to peruse the titles.

Over to Wurtemburg St to check out this sweet box.

After crossing over the Rideau River this next branch visits three boxes. The first is this box on Mark Ave.

A couple of blocks nouth gets you to one of the same design on Greensway Ave.

Last of the three boxes on this branch is this fine little unit at the corner of Vachon and Dagmar with some paving stones to keep your shoes clean while you peruse.

This big box can be found on Shakespeare St.

There are two fine boxes back over in Overbrook.  Weave your way along a few residential streets to this fine Little Library on Queen Mary Street.

Just a few blocks north there sits this generous little library on Ontario Street.

Over on the corner of Frontenac & Lacasse you will find this fine box.

Next, over to 770 Claude St

A bit further east you will discover this fantastic box on Roanoke Street!

Next, over to Pauline Charron Place. This one has had a bottom unit added since it first appeared.

Back to the bike path along St Laurent, head north a touch and turn right onto Meadow Park Place where you will discover this fine specimen.

A bit further north you will happen upon this next box on Braemer.

Next, ride towards and along Hemlock Road that’ll get you to this fine little library.

Ride over to New Edinburgh where you will find this big colourful box outside the MacKay United Church.

Cross the river over the St Patrick Street bridge towards this bright red box at the end of Old St Patrick St. in Lowertown.

Over to the corner of Rose and Bruyère to visit this jaunty box. It has had a kids box addition installed as well.

A block over is our next box at 260 St Andrew St. nestled in the surrounding greenery.

Further along St Andrew, on the opposite side of King Edward Ave, there sits this elegant little box.

Time to retrace our route back to the Rideau Canal and ride south. On Fourth Ave there’s this very clever box with clear acrylic panes on the front and back, allowing the residents on whose property it sits to be able to see if it is full from the comforts of their home.

This sweet little library is located on O’Connor Street near Patterson Creek.

Heading north you will find this Library/bibliothèque at the corner of Strathcona and Metcalfe.

The next two boxes are neighbours on Argyle which is accessible via the bi-directional bike lanes along O’Connor. The first is this brightly painted number.

The second box on Argyle has beautiful landscaping. 

Cut through the Museum of Nature parking to visit this box on McLeod.

You can find this box set back on the front steps at 176 Florence St.

This box is just outside the kids playground in Dundonald Park.

Another box on Mcleod can be found near Bronson.

A couple of blocks south on Arlington you will find this fine red box!

This slightly crooked but perfectly functional Little Library can be found on Arlington a few blocks west of Bronson. The mini solar panel powers a light that turns on after dark once you open the door to the box. It was working a few years ago. I will have to go back when it’s dark out to confirm it is still operational.

This loving box can be found on Eccles.

Our final stop is this Mini Library, corner of Cambridge St N and Christie. This one takes taller books too!

Et voila. Happy discoveries. If I’ve missed any boxes please send me a note and I’ll include it on the route.

A final special mention for this super sweet little swap box once located on Cole Avenue. It was one of this author’s favourites, so I leave you, dear reader, with a final image before it disapeeared, in commemoration of all the other wonderful boxes that have come & gone over the years.