By MADDY VITALE
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Ocean City Free Public Library (OCFPL) looked into ways for people to enjoy outdoors.
Then OCFPL Children’s Librarian Taimi Kelley brought the idea of StoryWalk to Library Director Karen Mahar.
“We were in COVID at that time and we thought what an awesome idea to have people connected by reading and enjoying nature,” Mahar recalled Monday. “We got the city’s approval to do the program in the park.”
StoryWalk, which began in October 2020, is a reading program at Lake Memorial Park, 407 Wesley Ave. Families stroll along the park and read the books spread out on temporary holders along the path.
Mahar announced during an OCFPL Board of Trustees meeting Monday that the library ordered 20 aluminum holders that are angled for ease of reading, as well as being able to handle inclement weather.
The Friends and Volunteers of the Ocean City Library offered to reimburse the library $6,070 for the structures, Mahar pointed out.
“It is very generous of the Friends and Volunteers,” she said of the donation. “We are very excited. People love StoryWalk.”
Hundreds of families have enjoyed the reading program since it began, Mahar said.
“We purchased 20 holders so that we have different sizes to make sure they can hold longer books,” she added.
She said the city’s Public Works Department will likely install the structures in May.
The StoryWalk Project was created by Anne Ferguson in Montpelier, Vt., and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
Mahar noted that the next StoryWalk book should be set up shortly after the installation of the holders.
In other matters, Mahar said during the board meeting that children’s programming and Young Adults Programming will be moving to all in-person by May.
“Kids and Young Adult virtual programming is being phased out and definitely will be by May,” she said.
Mahar also announced that the library received iPads through a grant from the East Brunswick Public Library for COVID-19 relief, that are preloaded with useful information.
“We received three iPads that are preloaded. They contain links and are multi-lingual. There are adult and teen crisis hotlines and safe internet browsing,” Mahar said. “They can be checked out at the reference desk and the third one will be at the Senior Center in the Community Center.”
