Monroeville community shows love to library through paper airplanes project

Visitors will have a sight to see when they enter the lobby at the Monroeville Public Library.

The new art display titled “Soaring Together” invites patrons to show what the library means to them by writing or drawing their favorite book, streaming service, library program or movie title on a piece of paper and folding it into the shape of an airplane.

Alice Rathjen, the library’s public relations contractor anticipated the project would be well-received because of how much the library means to the community.

“People came in and cried when we first reopened,” Rathjen said.

The library fully reopened to the public June 1.

Rathjen said the title of the exhibit was inspired by everyone “soaring together” when the library continued to meet the community’s needs during the pandemic with limited services, such as contactless pickup.

“2020 wasn’t a case of stepping back, but going upward to what the community needed,” Rathjen said.

A trail of different colored paper airplanes hangs from the ceiling displaying messages of appreciation and love to the library.

Some patrons experimented with different shapes and colors, said Barb English, the library’s circulation desk supervisor.

“It was really fun to see people come together after not being open,” English said.

More paper airplanes are expected to be added to the exhibit, increasing the total count to an estimated 100 planes, Rathjen said.

Rathjen encourages the Monroeville community to stop by and create a paper airplane or residents can bring in their own creations from home to the library.

“It visually speaks volumes of the library’s connection the community,” Rathjen said.