Vandals ransack woman's Little Free Library

HOUSTON – When a Houston woman recently tried doing something nice for her neighbors, not everyone liked it.

Two years ago, Sally Harris built a free book-lending library outside her home. The library is part of a worldwide network of thousands of small homemade kiosks in the not-for-profit Little Free Library, an organization that promotes freely exchanging books among readers.

Last week, a burglar ransacked the library.

"At first I was angry, kind of disappointed," Harris said. "It's like if your house was robbed. I felt a little bit violated."

For many of her neighbors, the vandalism was difficult to grasp since the kiosk was built as a gesture of kindness.

Harris said the burglars stole nearly every book from the collection, but didn't stop there. They also destroyed the library's small door, along with her high hopes.

Neighbors have since come to her aid by donating money and new reading materials. Harris said it is proof that goodwill still exists.

She is also trying to pay that goodwill forward by inviting her vandal to return to do something better with their time.

Next time to borrow and read, she said, not to steal.