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Asbury Park’s first free mini lending library is officially open for business.

City resident Anita Weiner unveiled the Little Free Library located outside of the Springwood Avenue Center Wednesday morning.

“This is just the first of four Little Free Libraries that will be placed in the city and it is with great thanks to all of the people in town who helped work on it, and the generosity of neighbors, friends and family, that a new chapter in Asbury Park has been written,” she said.

“It’s really exciting to see the first library go up,” said Councilwoman Amy Quinn. “Anita has been working tirelessly in her effort and I’m looking forward to seeing the other libraries installed.”

After the unveiling ceremony, city resident Cherry Elliott, who volunteers at the nearby AME Bethel Church food and clothing pantry, grabbed Natalie Kinsey Warnock’s “Lumber Camp Library” and Jerry Spinelli’s “Maniac Magee” for her niece.

“[The kids in the community] need more of this,” Elliott said. “Reading is so fundamental. I love to read. I think it is going to help the neighborhood a lot, there are a lot of kids in this area alone.”

“I think we do have to get the word out,” said Jan Sparrow, co-owner of Asbury Park’s Words! bookstore. “It’s a good idea because it allows individuals who don’t have access to bookstores and libraries a chance to read continuously for free.”

Weiner got the idea to bring the mini lending libraries to the city after a conversation with Janet Torsney, director of the Bradley Beach Public Library. Torsney was instrumental in getting mini lending libraries installed in Bradley Beach and passed on the idea to Weiner, she said.

Weiner and her husband, Robert, purchased this first mini library from the Little Free Library website. After she got the OK from city officials and property owners to place the library outside of the Springwood Avenue Center, tattoo artists from Neptune Tattooville painted the artwork on the library and members of the city’s public works department put the library together and installed it on the property, she said.

Although Weiner and her husband elected to purchase a prefabricated library from the Little Free Library website, the site also contains downloadable plans for anyone who wishes to build their own library from recycled or repurposed materials, she said.

City residents who would like to add a mini lending library to their property are asked to first contact city zoning officer Barbara Van Wagner for clearance to make sure the library is not placed on a city easement, Weiner said. .

Jackie Pappas, executive director of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber is considering purchasing one of the little libraries as well.

Pappas placed “Asbury Reads” bookmarks in each of the books inside of the little library. Asbury Reads is an community literacy initiative of the Asbury Park Community Action Network education committee, of which Pappas is also a member. It encourages Asbury Park residents to “Read anywhere. Read Anything. Just read.”

For more information about the Little Free Library movement in Asbury Park, email Anita Weiner at organic8@aol.com.

[Photo above, from left to right Jackie Pappas, executive director, Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce; Jim Henry; Matthew Whelan, executive assistant, Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce; Joe Cunha, city engineer; Robert Bianchini, deputy director of the city’s public works department; Christina White; Councilwoman Amy Quinn; Tony Nuccio, director of the city’s social services department; Jan Sparrow, co-owner, Words! bookstore; Nancy Sabino, co-owner, The ShowRoom Cinema, Anita Weiner; Paul McEvily, associate executive director of Interfaith Neighbors; Councilman John Moor; Robert Weiner, Monmouth SCORE.]

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