For hundreds of Oceanside kindergartners, a visit to the public library this spring will come with more than a new library card — it will come with a backpack meant to spark a lifelong habit of reading.
The Friends of the Oceanside Library, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the library, recently purchased 550 drawstring backpacks for kindergarten students visiting the library this year. The backpacks will be distributed during annual class trips from the Oceanside Kindergarten Center, where students tour the library, sign up for their own cards and select books to borrow.
“We thought it would be a great idea to supply each student with a drawstring bag to put their books in since they don’t bring their book bags on their visits,” said Kathy Schirrmacher, president of the Friends of the Oceanside Library. “We figured they can use the bags when they visit the library on their own.”
The Friends purchased backpacks for all 518 registered kindergartners, ordering extras in anticipation of additional students enrolling before the visits take place. This year’s kindergarten class will be the first to receive the bags, marking what the group hopes will become a lasting tradition.
Schirrmacher said the goal extends beyond convenience. The backpacks are intended to create excitement around reading and help children associate the library with a sense of ownership and belonging.
“We hope the backpacks get the children and their families excited about returning to the library after their school visits,” she said.
The backpack initiative reflects the broader mission of the Friends, which is a 501(c)(3) organization legally separate from the library. While fundraising remains a central role, the Friends also advocate for the library and support projects that expand its reach within the community.
Among those projects is a permanent Story Walk installation planned for Oceanside Park this spring, funded by the Friends in partnership with the Town of Hempstead. The outdoor display will feature pages of children’s books along a walking path, encouraging early literacy through movement and family engagement. Book titles will rotate throughout the year.
The backpacks are part of a larger effort to help residents of all ages feel connected to the library.
“We truly feel the Oceanside Library is a community center for everyone and we strive to foster a connection with everyone who walks through the doors of the library,” Schirrmacher said.
