On May 4, six-year-old Sippican Elementary School first grader Owen Excellent cut the ribbon to unveil the “Little Free Diversity Library” planted in front of the Rochester Women’s Club building as an appreciative crowd applauded a move that took months to come to a successful conclusion.
Speaking from the club building’s front steps before the ribbon-cutting, Alison Noyce, president of Tri-Town Against Racism (TTAR), the group that donated the little library to Rochester last year only to have it rejected by its original hosts, said she was moved by the large turnout facing her for this relocation ceremony. She thanked the Women’s Club for providing the space to allow people access to the Little Free Library without any controversy.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this incredible space,” she said.
New Bedford High School student Elliot Talley then spoke, emphasizing the importance of having books on the subject of diversity available to the general public.
“Not only are these books beneficial to those who are marginalized,” he said. “But to those who aren’t, it serves as a lesson on the experiences of marginalized people so hopefully they can learn from it and try to understand some of their struggles. These diverse perspectives make people more compassionate.”
At its first Rochester location, the Joseph A. Plumb Library, the little library drew more criticism than praise from residents proclaiming it was redundant to have it right outside a big public library and that some of its books should not be accessible to children.
In September 2023, the library trustees gave the library back to TTAR, saying they were doing so based merely on the fact the town library controls its own grounds and staff and must accept gifts such as the Little Diverse Library only under agreed-to provisions. No such provisions were agreed to when a previous library director and trustees board approved the donation in January 2021, the trustees said.
The Women’s Club reached out to TTAR that December, and TTAR jumped at the chance to relocate the little library to a more suitable site. The Rochester Women’s Club is a private organization that owns the building there and leases to the town the space used as the Town Hall Annex.
After Excellence cut the ribbon and the glass door to the mailbox-sized, little library swung open, TTAR Vice President Rhonda Baptiste emerged from the Women’s Club building with her homemade “Happy Birthday Abraham” cake decorated with an edible barber’s pole and snare drum.
TTAR officials explained the event was also to celebrate the April 29 birthday of a prior champion of compassionate diversity, Abraham Skidmore, a black Mattapoisett barber who decades ago started that town’s annual Halloween parade and donated his time and money to many charitable causes and people in need. They noted TTAR soon will dedicate the “Little Free Diversity Library” located at Mattapoisett’s Ned’s Point in Skidmore’s name.
As attendees began sifting through the books the little library contains on race and gay rights, Old Rochester Regional High School senior, town resident and gay rights activist Alia Cusolito was excited to see it open.
“It’s important to have access to these types of books,” Cusolito said. “When I was growing up, these kinds of books were only available in my own home. My parents were very open to diverse ways of thinking. In school, it wasn’t the same story. We didn’t hear about people who were different. It’s important for people to have access to literature and experiences they may not have access to in their regular lives.”
TTAR has planted two other similar little diversity libraries, in Mattapoisett at Ned’s Point and in Marion at Old Landing.
By Michael J. DeCicco