On the first Sunday in August, a bright pink stand popped up on the 3500 block of Elm Avenue in Hampden. From afar, it resembles a Little Free Library, but a closer look reveals that the box is meant to hold small toys and knickknacks. Instructions on the outside encourage passersby to “swap a keychain or leave a trinket.”
Atop the box, eye-catching lettering reveals the name of the city’s newest quirky attraction: The Baltimore Keychain Library.
The library’s creator, Hampden resident Rachel Warren, says the idea came to her about a year ago, after seeing artist Mike Bennett debut a keychain library in Portland, Oregon. Looking for a fun summer project, she set out to build her own, with the hope being that she could bring new life to small objects destined for the garbage.
To that end, she pulled design inspo from John Waters, Baltimore’s self-described “Pope of Trash,” himself—covering the pink box in an insect-stenciled pattern that pays homage to Tracy Turnblad’s iconic roach dress from Hairspray.
The process is simple. Neighbors drop off small trinkets on the library’s bottom shelf, Warren’s mailbox, or her porch. Every night, she turns the donated items into keychains by drilling a small hole and adding a chain. The old objects, now keychain-ified, are then put back into the library, taken by someone new, and the cycle continues.
“I wanted something accessible and essentially free for people that is also completely community-driven,” Warren says. “This is taking items that would maybe just end up in the trash and upcycling them into something fun.”
Warren says the community’s response to the library has been overwhelmingly positive. She’s received more than 50 trinket donations since opening day, as well as messages from neighbors telling her how much they love the idea—and the new way to get rid of their unwanted toys.
“I think people just really love having that tiny hit of dopamine when they walk by,” Warren says, adding that this concept fits in nicely with the area’s kitschy spirit. “I wasn’t sure if anybody else was going to be into it, but so far, people seem to really like it.”
As for the library’s future, Warren hopes to keep it going as long as people have objects to give. If donations slow down, she says she’d love to turn it into a different type of free library. She sees the concept as a smaller version of other community-driven initiatives that rely on donations, such as the Bmore Community Fridge Network (BCFN), which provides free food and resources to volunteer-run refrigerators around Baltimore.
As she puts it, connection shouldn’t be limited to keychains. “This keychain library is truly useless in the best way,” jokes Warren. “But there are other free networks and pantries that are needing things on a daily basis.”
Ultimately, Warren hopes that the joy people get from her library will inspire other acts of giving.
“While you’re finding toys in your house, just take a look in your pantry and fridge, too,” Warren encourages. “Do a little double duty—something fun and something that is meaningful and helpful for people.”