Experience This: The Library That Never Slows Down
More Than Books: Inside Ocean City’s All-In-One Community Hub
ON ANY GIVEN DAY in Ocean City, you might expect crowds on the Boardwalk, families on the beach or shoppers downtown. But just a few blocks away, another kind of hub is quietly buzzing, one where visitors can just as easily spend an entire day.
The Ocean City Free Public Library isn’t just a place to borrow books. It’s a bustling locale tucked inside the Ocean City Community Center, sharing space with the Arts Center, Historical Museum, aquatic and fitness facilities and a lively senior center. The result is a one-stop destination where, as the library’s director Karen Mahar puts it, “people could come in the morning when we open and stay until nine at night and never have to go home.”
That level of service is powered by a deeply committed team.
“I have a great staff,” Karen said. Whether it’s helping with a quick question or running a large-scale program, the all-hands approach keeps the library running smoothly and reinforces the welcoming atmosphere patrons praise.
Open seven days a week and closed only three days a year, the Ocean City Free Public Library offers between 74 and 76 hours of service weekly, more than many libraries. Even holidays don’t slow things down.
“We were like, you know what? We’re offering
services. We’re here for the people that might not have somewhere to go on a holiday,” Karen said. And the decision paid off, with holidays often being surprisingly busy days at the library.
Behind that level of access is strong local support. As a municipal library, its funding comes directly from the city, something Karen does not take for granted. In a shore town where resources fluctuate seasonally, that consistency allows the library to maintain long hours, extend programming and continue evolving to meet community needs.
While books remain central and circulation of materials, including physical books, is still strong, the library has evolved to meet more modern needs.
“We’re not just about checking out books anymore,” Karen explained.
Visitors will find digital materials, audiobooks, streaming services and even Wi-Fi hotspots and museum passes available for checkout. A full-service computer center with 25 workstations helps patrons with everything from scanning documents to navigating email. But what truly sets the library apart is its role as a gathering place.
“Libraries have come to be a place where people not only come to check out material, but to gather, to play Mahjong or Bridge. … We offer classes in American Sign Language, Spanish, crafting… There’s just so many things,” Karen said.
That sense of belonging can be deeply meaningful
People could come in the morning when we open and stay until nine at night and never have to go home – Director Karen Mahar
and that welcoming atmosphere extends to visitors as well as year-round residents. While a library card is required to borrow materials, anyone can stop in, attend programs or simply relax with a newspaper. For those staying longer, non-resident library cards are available, making it easy for summer visitors to take full advantage of the library’s offerings.
In recent years, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people shifted to remote work and flexible schedules, the library quietly became a daily workspace for many.
“There are people that are in here every day from 9 to 5,” Karen said.
“We have areas for them to come in and work. What once might have been seen as a quiet reading room now functions as a collaborative environment: part office, part social space, reflecting broader changes in how people live and work at the shore.”
Programming spans all ages. Children’s offerings include story times, puppet shows and singalongs, while teens can dive into book clubs, Dungeons & Dragons gatherings and even murder mystery dinners. Adult programming ranges from crafting workshops to technology classes and a well-attended classic film series.
Music programs are some of the library’s standout events.
“We average 150 to 200 people,” Karen said of a recent jazz performance series.
Seasonal events like the annual Halloween festival and Christmas celebration can draw hundreds more, filling the entire community center with activity.
Even outside the building, the library finds ways to engage. A “story walk” at a nearby park invites families to read a children’s book page by page along a scenic path, while the bookmobile brings library services to
farmers markets, schools and senior communities.
Despite its growth, the library’s core values remain rooted in service.
“We seldom dead-end people,” Karen said. “It’s never just, ‘Nope, we
can’t do it.’ It’s, ‘how can we help?’”
For visitors who might not think to step into a library during a beach vacation, she offers simple advice: “Don’t just think of libraries as books on shelves. There’s so much more to offer, especially at the Ocean City Public Library.”
A full list of all of the library’s services and programs can be found at
https://www.oceancitylibrary.org/.
By Rebecca L. Forand