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The POWER ofbooks

Camden County Pop Up Library brings free books to those who need them

BY RYAN LAWRENCE

On Tuesday mornings, Haddon Township’s Tom Martin unloads a couple of folding tables from his car, spreads them out along the sidewalk at 5th and Market in Camden, and covers them with hundreds of books.

There are non-fiction, spiritual and selfhelp titles. There’s an entire table dedicated to the public’s favorite in the reading frenzy he’s helped create in the city: fiction and murder mysteries.

Oh, and they’re all free.

“I have a sign out there – people don’t always see it – but when you tell them, ‘Hey, the books are free,’ it’s a left-angle, rightangle turn,” Martin said, adding a cartoonsound for effect. “It’s just, ZVOOOP!”

And often people who don’t know one

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Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108 Pre-K teacher Amy Hoffman, school nurse Stephanie Tracy and Interim Principal Doug Newman keep the Thomas Sharp School Book Ark fi lled with fresh reading material in Collingswood. Top: Eddie King, a leasing agent, adds books to the Parkview at Collingswood Book Ark. Above: Julie Beddingfi eld, owner of Inkwood Books in Haddonfi eld, sets up the Camden County Pop Up Library at the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden City.

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another another become become fast fast friends friends at Tom’s at Tom’s tables. tables. They They overhear overhear someone someone side the methaask for an done clinic in author and volunteer one they think the South Camden to stranger might like. his midweek book Recommending reads and bonding over an organic, shared experience is at the heart of the Camden County Pop Up Library, too. Four years ago, Martin, who always liked the idea of a Bookmobile, decided to collect leftover books from friends and family and bring them to Camden. He put out somewhere between 100-200 books and they were all gone within an hour. So he came back with more. And then he expanded, adding stops at the Cathedral Kitchen, the transportation center, and outtour, too. “I think the perception is, people in Camden don’t read, don’t want to read,” Martin said. “People’s perception is they’re dangerous and high and addicted to drugs and things like that. But, the opposite is true. There’s a great thirst for knowledge there – as there is anywhere. It’s not like Camden is special. But it’s not not special either.” A 1974 graduate of Cherry Hill East who has also lived in Haddonfield and Oaklyn, Martin made it his mission to keep feeding the people of Camden with books. In addition to the Pop Up Library, Martin and his fellow volunteers have put 65 book arks throughout Camden (and five in Philadelphia, too) through their other venture, The Book Ark Project. “It’s really changed my life,” Martin said of the book charities. “I’ve always had a good life. I’ve been blessed. But I just really get a kick out of it.” The 65-year-old Martin has always been mission-minded. He’s on the board with Interfaith Homeless Outreach Council. But he’s always wanted to do more. “It’s so frustrating to read about all of the things going on in the world, most of them pretty horrible, and you don’t do anything about it … you can’t do any hands-on thing,” Martin said. “And here we are, almost literally as the crow flies, 3-5 miles away from the most dangerous or poorest city in the United States. It’s right there. When you’re in Collingswood, you back up right onto Woodlynne, which backs right up into Camden. So, it was frustrating to me not to be able to do anything.” Martin loaded up his car one day and hasn’t stopped. He keeps the James Patterson books – easily the most popular at his Pop Ups – in his car so they don’t all go at once, but gets them quickly when someone asks for one. And, like Santa Claus, Martin also keeps a running wish list for his patrons. “There was a woman who wanted a book about interpreting dreams,” Martin said. “I saw her Friday and got one for her, and you would have thought I was giving her a free apartment for a year somewhere. She was just blown away.” Martin said it’s that rush he gets from helping someone with such a simple act that makes the Pop Up Library and Book Ark Project run. “I was a stockbroker, headhunter, I’ve raised my daughter and now I have more

side the metha-

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LIBRARY continued from page 8 time to do things,” he said. “I am doing it for other people, but if I didn’t get the buzz that I got from doing it, even if I wanted to do it, I probably wouldn’t stick with it. I’m not good about sticking to or doing stuff that I don’t want to do. I’m just really fortunate that I love doing this.” While he could use some volunteers – especially to manage arks, making sure they’re always filled – Martin currently has plenty of books in a 10-by-20 storage locker. The Camden County Rotary Club and Subaru both donated money to outfit the Pop Up Library with a brand new car to transport books. Townsend Press of Berlin has helped pay for some of the arks, and volunteers have helped paint them and plant gardens nearby. Martin said he’s open to offers from other businesses that would like to sponsor arks; he’d like to expand the arks statewide, too.

As for big picture goals, Martin said he’d like to find a space along Haddon Avenue in Camden for a headquarters, an actual freestanding free library, like “The Book Thing” in Baltimore.

For now, he’ll settle for sharing the gift of reading with new friends and embedding himself in an underserved, book-thirsty community.

“It’s really such a simple concept,” Martin said. “It’s easy to do if you have the desire. It’s remarkably easy to do, it’s incredibly rewarding, and people really appreciate it.” ■

Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108 From left: Inkwood Books owner Julie Beddingfi eld unloads the Camden County Pop Up Library van at an event in Camden City. Beddingfi eld chats with visitors at the Walter Reed Transportation Center pop-up. Tom Martin talks with those taking advantage of the free books at a pop-up event last month. 08108

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