ELLICOTT CITY, MD – The Doctor, also known as Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, today announced that Howard County’s beloved time-traveling Little Free Library, the #HoCoTARDIS, has regenerated at the North Laurel Community Center, located at 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road in Laurel. The move comes 60 years after the first-ever regeneration in Doctor Who aired with the final part of the fourth-season Cybermen serial, “The Tenth Planet.” In the episode, William Hartnell's First Doctor collapsed from exhaustion and battle with the Cybermen, transforming into Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor, a concept that forever changed the sci-fi series and allowed it to continue with a new actor.
The #HoCoTARDIS’s regeneration in North Laurel also comes two days before the fifth anniversary of the Flux. Collectively known as the Flux, the 13th series aired from October 31, 2021, to December 5, 2021, and starred Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. The series follows the Thirteenth Doctor and her companions as they navigate a universe-ending anomaly called the “Flux”, while dealing with enemies and secrets from the Doctor's past.
Allons-y! The #HoCoTARDIS has regenerated in North Laurel. First seen in Old Ellicott City’s Tiber Park and then Elkridge’s Rockburn Branch Park, this tiny blue, traveling Little Free Library continues to make its journey across Howard County, bringing books, imagination, and community connections to residents. Filled with thousands of stories that transverse time, our TARDIS is designed to spark the curiosity of readers of all ages, inspiring creativity, leisure, and connection amongst Whovians and Wholigans.
Inspired by the iconic TARDIS (also referred to as “the Ship” and “the Box”) from the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who, the #HoCoTARDIS debuted in November 2025 at Tiber Park in Old Ellicott City. The initiative was originally launched in recognition of National Family Literacy Month and Doctor Who Day, with the goal of the Box traveling to locations throughout the county to support local businesses, increase access to books, and create opportunities for families to connect through reading.
Following its five months stent in Tiber Park, the #HoCoTARDS landed on New Earth in Rockburn Branch Park on April 15th, exactly 20 years after the Tenth Doctor, portrayed by David Tennant, embarked on his first full adventure in the TARDIS in the episode “New Earth.”
Constructed by the County’s Department of Recreation and Parks, the #HoCoTARDIS is part of the global Little Free Library network, which aims to expand book access and build community through volunteer-led book sharing boxes, promoting the simple but powerful idea: “Take a book, share a book.” With more than 150,000 registered Little Free Libraries worldwide, and millions of books shared annually, the program continues to grow as a symbol of literacy and connection. In Howard County alone, there are nearly 50 Little Free Libraries, reinforcing the County’s strong commitment to education, accessibility, and community engagement.
Since its inception, the #HoCoTARDIS has captured the imagination of residents and visitors alike, serving as both a literary hub and a whimsical public attraction. Residents are encouraged to visit the #HoCoTARDIS at the North Laurel Community Center, bring a book to share, take a book to enjoy, and take part in this one-of-a-kind literary adventure.