Spring Lake — It was a night filled with music, laughter, and hometown pride as neighbors gathered at the Spring Lake District Library on Thursday, September 18, for a Block Party and Groundbreaking Celebration.

The evening had something for everyone: live music, a Friends of the Library book sale, Touch-A-Truck, animals from the Outdoor Discovery Center, and plenty of laughter and conversation. Families spread out across the library grounds, enjoying food from the Smoke ’N Ashes food truck, while children climbed in and out of trucks.

Cookie Mouse, a favorite storybook

character from the classic book 'If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,' roamed the crowd and gave big hugs.

At the heart of the evening was the ceremonial groundbreaking. A crowd gathered at 5:30 p.m.to watch library leaders and special guests “turn the soil” on a project designed to create a more welcoming and versatile space for the community. The project will add a flexible indoor/outdoor

programming space and a redesigned parking area and landscaping, improvements that will foster a welcoming and functional gathering place for years to come.

 “This project represents the future of our library and the growing needs of our community,” said Library Director Maggie McKeithan. “We’re grateful to everyone who joined us tonight to celebrate this next step.”

One special guest was donor Fred Harring, who has generously donated $500,000 to make this room addition a reality. For Harring, this project is personal. At the Block Party, he had a chance to share with the community how much the library meant to him and his family. 

Growing up in Spring Lake, the library was an important refuge in his young life. Although Fred moved away as

an adult, his father, Gerard, was a lifelong learner who visited the library multiple times a week. Fred says, “It was a lifeline for my father. Until he died a few years ago at the age of 93, my dad would come here nearly every single day. It centered him – and served as an anchor for his unending belief that we can all continue to learn and grow throughout our lives.” Now, Fred is giving

back to the library and community he and his father treasured. 

The room addition will allow for more

educational programs and activities to engage the community. For many in attendance, the night was as much about connection as celebration. Construction starts soon and should be completed in the Summer of 2026. 

For now, the Block Party

gave Spring Lake a moment to pause, celebrate, and imagine the library’s future—together!