While most Americans are home due to the statewide shutdowns, many new trends have surfaced throughout the course of the pandemic. People have begun to record themselves doing the newest Tiktok dances, foster puppies, attempt to make Dalgona Coffee, read books from dainty libraries, and so on.
Daniel Adomina, an MCCC Honors College student, says he sometimes falls into the recurring cycle of media consumption.
He says, “Sometimes I have to catch myself after spending hours or days bingeing a show, movies, being on my phone or computer to take some time off consuming media.”
One trend that is offering an alternative to screens is Little Free Library book-sharing boxes.
According to Little Free Library’s website, they are a worldwide nonprofit organization on a mission to spread literacy, community, and creativity through Little Free Library book exchanges.
Dr. Pamela Price, MCCC’s Director of Library Services, says of Little Free Libraries, “Personally, I find them to be a great community asset and see them as outreach posts that add a new layer of support to what school and public libraries provide.”
Kay Li, a steward based in Princeton Junction, started her library as a gift to her daughter.
Li says, “Basically, our Little Free Library was a birthday gift to my daughter when she was 6 years old. I was searching for ideas of – what to give her when she was six. Then, I came across this idea – a Little Free Library.”
Li and her daughter, who is now eight, have noticed a shift since the lockdowns began.
She says, “After the pandemic started we found a lot of people actually started using it. Especially kids. We wanted to be a great book resource for the kids.”
This result fits Dr. Price’s predictions. She said, “Once libraries had to close due to the pandemic, it was only a matter of time before the Little Free Libraries movement really started to catch on because it gave people an opportunity to share books they had just read with others who may not have read them.”
As rewarding as it is to own a book-sharing box, some box stewards say there are also a few downsides.
Jacqueline Fernandes, another steward in West Windsor, said for a time people were taking books and not returning them.
“I’m sure they’re enjoying it. I don’t grudge them that, but they’re not returning books.” Fernandes said, but a week later she says she started to notice the trend reverse and that people were replacing her books.
Dr. Bettina Caluori, MCCC’s Director of the Honors Program, says she knows about the Little Free Libraries and thinks they would be great to have at Mercer.
“I think that going to a Little Free Library would be more like ‘I’m doing this for my own self. Nobody’s going to grade me. Somebody else has recommended it or put it in this library for a reason.’”
