A NEIGHBORLY LOVE OF READING

Across the island, nine Little Free Libraries promote a friendly neighborhood lifestyle

By Anthony J. Mazziotti III

Millions of people are familiar with a certain iconic TV show’s charming opening theme song that plays as a camera pans over a delightful toy neighborhood. A trolley car passes through the streets of the town as three words pan across the screen in a trademark font.

That’s right. It’s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and as the jazzy piano riff starts up, viewers are transported into a living room where the titular character walks through the front door with a big smile on his face singing out the words generations of people know by heart; It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

As Mr. Rogers continues singing, he hangs up his coat, puts on a trademark colorful cardigan, sits down and changes out of his loafers into tennis shoes before teaching his millions of viewers a valuable life lesson in a tidy 28-minute episode.

Of the thousands of lessons Rogers taught viewers over the years – from dealing with your feelings in a healthy way to knowing you can make a positive impact in your community – one can argue the most valuable of them all is the lesson of being neighborly, that we are all neighbors and we should treat each other with love and respect. There’s no question being a good neighbor creates a strong neighborhood. Take Ocean City for example. Part of what makes the island “America’s Greatest Family Resort” is the fact that there is a strong neighborhood and community vibe despite a population that greatly fluctuates throughout the year.

The neighbors might change, but the neighborhood stays the same. And one of the many ways Ocean City residents heed Rogers’ advice and ensure visitors feel at home while they’re in town is with Little Free Libraries.

Libraries for everyone

According to the Little Free Library’s national registry, there are nine of these little book nooks across the island. But what is a Little Free Library? It’s exactly what the name implies: a small receptacle that offers a variety of reading material at no cost to whomever wants to read it. They come in all shapes and sizes with specifications per the nonprofit’s website. The library’s operators –or stewards – can make their design from scratch or download plans from the website.

The Little Free Library program is based on three pillars:

1) Building community.

2) Inspiring readers.

3) Expanding book access for all.

“A Little Free Library is a signpost of friendliness, neighborliness and inviting people to connect with the people in their community,” Margret Aldrich, Little Free Library director of communications, said.

“We noticed it during the pandemic,” Margret continued. “When schools were closed and libraries were closed, Little Free Libraries stayed open 24/7/365. They could be a little beacon of hope in what was really a changing time. It let everyone know we are all in this together even when we had to be apart.”

“What it all boils down to is the neighborhood coming together to help those in need – whether with a book, a can of food or a bone-shaped treat. These types of things are undoubtedly what Mr. Rogers had in mind as neighborly actions.

Ocean City resident Maureen Kenny, who is steward to the island’s first registered Little Free Library, echoed this sentiment.

“I’d like to think it’s an invitation from me as the homeowner to stop and say hi. In Ocean City in particular, porch living is part of the culture,” Maureen explained. “Sitting on the porch and having people stop by and say hi while perusing what’s in there, it really promotes the neighborhood aspect.”

Margaret’s library is located on the 300 block of Wesley Avenue and, in addition to the locals, she gets plenty of traffic from visitors heading to the beach for the day.

“Someone walks by and sees the kids or dogs on the porch – some in the neighborhood know the dogs and library better than they know me,” Maureen said with a laugh. “There’s a woman who drops off bags of books at a time. They’re current books, too.”

While the onus is on the steward to stock their libraries, the nonprofit’s “Take a book. Share a book.” motto comes into play often, as it seems there is always a healthy backlog of books from those donating boxes or bags in addition to patrons leaving a book every time they take another.

“Sometimes I’ll check my library in the morning and see a new book was donated and it will be gone that afternoon,” Pam Levin, the steward of the library on the 400 block of East Newcastle Road, said. “Then I’ll see it back again two days later.”

Books, books and more books

Between Pam and Maureen, the two estimate that 85 to 90 percent of the books inside their libraries are donated, and that each library holds between 40 and 50 books. The most common books are fiction, although both stewards try to curate their selection to appeal to a wide audience, from seniors to children and everyone in between.

“Someone left a dog bowl and treats,” Pam added, noting she keeps it filled so four-legged friends can take advantage of the library, too.

Donations aren’t always books or dog treats. Both Pam and Maureen said they received canned food and pantry donations as well, especially during the early days of the pandemic.

“During COVID, the library turned into a food pantry. People would drop off soup, beans, pasta and rice,” Maureen explained.

Read with a neighbor

Ocean City is known worldwide as a place that accepts visitors for days, weeks, or months at a time and for good reason – the residents and guests alike treat each other with love and respect in ways big and small.

What it all boils down to is the neighborhood coming together to help those in need – whether with a book, a can of food or a bone-shaped treat. These types of things are undoubtedly what Mr. Rogers had in mind as neighborly actions.

After all, for a Little Free Library on the way to the beach, stocked full of fantasies and mysteries, biographies and thrillers, one might imagine it calls to passersby:

“Won’t you be my neighbor?”

Want to start your own Little Free Library? Learn more at littlefreelibraries.org.

If a big library is more your speed, check out the Ocean City Free Public Library at 1735 Simpson Avenue.

Looking for a Little Free Library in Ocean City? They’re all over the island! From north to south, here’s the full list. Find an interactive map at littlefreelibrary.org.