By MADDY VITALE
Beach chair — check. Towel — check. Book — forgot it.
But there’s no need to head back to the shore house before hitting the sands in Sea Isle City if you are in the Townsends Inlet area. There are plenty of books to choose from at the mini-libraries set up by a group of neighbors.
It gives people the option of flipping through some books for some fun summer reading. While the books are free to take, people are always welcome to leave a book. The mini-libraries are in display boxes that look like green houses and they are constructed of repurposed materials.
The Townsends Inlet Free Library (TIFL) board of directors installed a new mini-library at the pavilion at 85th Street a couple of days ago, replacing the kids’ library the group put in at the city-owned 85th Street Playground but later removed.
“The new mini-library on 85th Street was designed to address the administration’s concern regarding the potential liability of a kids-oriented library,” explained TIFL representative Tim Kelly. “The new one is significantly larger and placed at a higher level more suited to adults. To be clear though, kids’ books are welcomed.”
Fearing the possibility that something “inappropriate for children” might be slipped inside a mini-library located at the municipal playground, Sea Isle officials asked that the box be removed from there.
Kelly, who has a home in the Townsends Inlet section, noted that the mini-libraries are made possible thanks to the community.
“The neighbors on 85th Street have been extremely supportive and generous with book donations,” Kelly, a teacher and married father of four, noted. “The important thing is that this is a community effort and something that really adds value to our neighborhoods. I have seen the libraries appear in real estate ads.”
For years, the group of neighbors has created these little libraries for vacationers and residents to enjoy.
There are five placed in the Townsends Inlet section.
In addition to the one at 85th Street, there are others at 87th, 89th, 91st, and 93rd streets.
“I believe a homeowner has placed one on 83rd Street on their own. I would bet that TI has more libraries per capita than any location in the world. This would account for the noteworthy intelligence of TI residents,” Kelly said jokingly.
The first library was placed on 93rd Street seven years ago to honor longtime resident, Kitty Kelly.
And for those who enjoy the mini-libraries, Kelly said another one is coming soon.
“We have one more library to place in TI in a few weeks. After that, the focus will be simply to maintain them in good condition,” he said. “The location will be a surprise.”
