COLUMBIA, Md. — Benjamin Kintisch has a system to his keychains.
Its one he says his daughter came up with, not long after he created the Little Free Keychain Library in his backyard in Columbia. He said its organized by theme.
"I go from the actual animal to the whimsical animal to the extinct, so dinosaurs live here, so to speak," he said.
The keychains are hung on an old theater box. Some of them he buys but most he makes with trinkets he either buys or are donated to him.
"The kind of junk they give you at birthday parties that are 45 seconds of fun and then you forget it," he said. "If they’re collecting dust and in your way tripping on them, I’ll take them off your hands, repurpose it and bring to light to other people."
Bringing light and joy to others was Kintisch's motivation to start his own Little Free Keychain Library. His house sits near a walking path at Bluecoat and Sleeping Dog Lanes. He often draws on the path with chalk to point people to his library.
"Sometimes they live two blocks away and they come here once a week or they heard about me on Facebook and it’s their first time," he said. "Customers keep coming all the time and then I see a lot of hooks and I think oh more space for more inventory!"
More of these keychain libraries are popping around town, which is said to have started with Portland-based artist Mike Bennett.
There is a bright-pink keychain library near the Avenue in Hampden, at the intersection of Elm Avenue and Wellington Street (follow @bmorekeychainlibrary on Instagram)
Another one sits off Brandon Road in Rodgers Forge, near Rodgers Forge Elementary (follow @rodgersforgekeychainexchange on Instagram)
They each have their own unique look and style but all share in the mission of making people smile.
"This Little Free Keychain Library is a labor of love for me," Kintisch said. "Giving to one another, that’s a great way to start building our neighborhoods and rebuilding connections at a time when we need it more than ever."
You can follow the Columbia keychain library @littlefreekeychains on Instagram.
To find more whimsical exchanges and displays around the world, click here to check out the Worldwide Sidewalk Joy Project.
Is there a local Little Free Keychain Library we missed? Email megan.knight@wmar.com
