Ocean City Library Director Chris Maloney Dies at 45

Christopher Maloney, director of the Ocean City Free Public Library, died on Tuesday at age 45.

Family, friends and library employees were mourning the loss of the popular library administrator on Thursday.

"This library was his life," former Library President Nancy Larrabee said. "He loved the place."

Maloney died in his Somers Point home sometime on New Year's Eve. Fellow employees first noticed his absence when he failed to open the library for First Night events on Tuesday.

Maloney's mother, Barbara, said Thursday that the family still does not know the cause of death. The family, including Maloney's four siblings, is still making funeral arrangements (which will be posted here when they are available).

Maloney was born in Haddonfield. He attended Paul VI High School and Holy Family University in Philadelphia. He received his masters degree in library science from the University of Buffalo.

Maloney worked at the Ocean City Free Public Library for 15 years and was director since 2003. He helped the library become an invaluable community resource for thousands of residents and visitors who use the facility not just for printed books, but for online resources, digital music and movies, computer services, community meetings and vast array of special programs and activities.

"He loved it," Barbara Maloney said.

And he loved not only the library, but Ocean City itself. He would call from the Ocean City Boardwalk and say, "Guess where I am right now," she said.

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