Little library boxes are being removed by city officials for violating a ridiculous code.

These amazing, community boxes where people can put books and take books are being shut down by some local municipalities for violating a code that says they are "illegal detached structures."

This incredible move makes these cities, including Leawood, Kansas, Los Angeles and Shreveport, Louisiana, look ridiculous.  What's worse, is that they, then, turn around and use public funds to pay librarians to do the same thing the community was doing for free.

Now, for the argument that these are "detached structures..."

If they were in wooden boxes, would that be ok?  Are compost heaps or bins detached structures?  Is it the door that turns it from a box into a "structure?"  This is just ridiculous.

"Crime, homelessness and crumbling infrastructure are still a problem in almost every part of America, but two cities have recently cracked down on one of the country's biggest problems: small-community libraries where residents can share books," sarcastically writes Michael Schaub of the LA Times.

This is the definition of overregulation.  Bugs aren't getting into these boxes, infesting the books.  If they were, that would be understandable.  It's as if some group in a board-room decided this without being there or having any connection to community book sharing.

I understand the need for the heavy hand of socialism in some instances, defending the weak or acting as the funnel of group choices, but this is going too far.  Let the people share their books and don't make them store the books in dumb looking boxes.