Chartwell’s First Little Free Library To Be Launched Sept. 12

The Chartwell community’s first “Little Free Library” will launch with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, September 12, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at 503 Heavitree Lane in Severna Park (near the corner of St. Ives Drive). Severna Park resident Susan Mahaffee and her 6-year-old son, Peter, will host the event and have invited county council members are fire department officials to attend.

The celebration will include an Anne Arundel County fire truck, story-time with giveaways, Kona Ice truck, and kids goodie bags.

Little Free Libraries are a global phenomenon. The small, front-yard book exchanges number 36,000 around the world in 70 countries – from Iceland to Tasmania to Pakistan. Now, a new Little Free Library at 503 Heavitree Lane will join the movement to share books, bring people together and create communities of readers.

“Reading has always been a passion of mine,” Mahaffee said. “When I was little girl, I played ‘library’ with my younger sister where I would catalog books and ask her to check them out. I used the money I earned from my report card to buy additional books that kept my little library blossoming. To this day, I often give books as gifts to family and friends and believe that now, more than ever, kids should be exposed to the experience of learning to use their imagination that only books can create.

“My next-door neighbor offered some books that her children outgrew and left them out on her front porch for me to borrow,” Mahaffee continued. “When I saw how much my son enjoyed picking up the books and reading them, the idea was born … I’m enthusiastic about the opportunity this provides families, who are simply out for a walk, or nearby and can stop to check out a book. I have collected over a hundred books and can assure you it will never be the same visit twice.”

The Little Free Library nonprofit organization has been honored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation, and the American Library Association, as well as Reader’s Digest naming them one of the “50 Surprising Things We Love about America.” Each year, nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries. To learn more, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org and the Chartwell Little Free Library Charter #94074 page on Facebook.