Storybrooke Free Public Library

"For twenty-eight years, the hand didn't move. Then one day, tick-tock, it bloody did."

- Will Scarlet to Robin Hood

The Storybrooke Free Public Library, also known as the Clock Tower, is a Storybrooke location on ABC's Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. It first appears in the first episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time.

List of Locations
For detailed location information, please see the list of Storybrooke Clock Tower locations.

Trivia
On-screen Notes=

On-screen Notes

 * Its address number is 3551.
 * The library is featured in the title card for "The Queen Is Dead" and "Dark Hollow".
 * The library's opening hours are from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on Mondays to Fridays, 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Saturdays and 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. on Sundays.


 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The top two stories of the clock tower, including the clock, are visual effects.
 * The closed library in Season One represents the way all the stories have been ripped from the fairytale characters lives during the Dark Curse.
 * During the curse, the time on the clock tower is frozen at 8:15. It is a reference to Oceanic Flight 815 from Lost. When Emma arrives in Storybrooke during the second curse, the clock also shows 8:15.
 * The clock unfroze at 8:15, then chimed at 8:16. 8, 15 and 16 are three of the Lost numbers.
 * The next morning, Regina sees the clock at 8:23. 23 is a reference to Jack Shephard's number on Lost.


 * -|Props Notes=

Props Notes

 * In "Pilot", the sign for "Storybrooke Free Public Library" is a green house-shaped structure, but in "The Thing You Love Most", it is changed to a white rectangular sign. Stock footage appears to have be used briefly in a scene in "The New Neverland" where the Shadow flies past the library and the old green sign is seen.
 * Just like many other Storybrooke locations, the library contains references to the Enchanted Forest, both the mainland and the maritime part: There is a tree shaped mirror on the wall that hides the elevator doors, and the library contains a nautical guide book, and a children's book with pop-up sailing ships.
 * A poster pinned to the wall inside the library, contains an illustration of Titania and Nick Bottom from William Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream".
 * The same poster can be seen on a billboard outside the town hall in "Desperate Souls".
 * Among the library shelves are:
 * 130: Parapsychology: The study of mental phenomena which are excluded from or inexplicable by orthodox scientific psychology; such as precognition and telepathy
 * 131: Parapsychological methods
 * 132: Mental derangements, referring to mental disorders
 * 133: Magic & ritual
 * 134: Mesmerism & clairvoyance: Mesmerism is a theorized invisible natural force exerted by animals, believed to have physical effects, including healing. Clairvoyance refers to knowledge of information not necessarily known to any other person, which is not obtained by ordinary channels of perceiving or reasoning, but through extrasensory perception.
 * 135: Dreams & mysteries
 * 135.4: Rosicrucianism: A worldwide brotherhood claiming to possess esoteric wisdom handed down from ancient times. Their teachings are a combination of occultism and other religious beliefs and practices, including hermeticism, Jewish mysticism, and Christian Gnosticism.
 * 135.4: Gnosticism & neoplatonism: Neoplatonism is a philosophical and religious system that arose in the third century in Alexandria. It mixes Platonic ideas and oriental mysticism. Gnosticism is a collection of philosophical and religious movements whose adherents shunned the material world and embraced the spiritual world.
 * 135.4: Hermeticism: A religious and philosophical tradition based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Its philosophy is comprised of astrology, alchemy and theurgy.
 * 137: Divinatory graphology: The inference of character from a person's handwriting. The theory underlying graphology is that the way words and letters are formed can reveal traits of personality.
 * 146: Naturalism: In philosophy, naturalism refers to the belief that everything arises from natural properties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual explanations are excluded or discounted.
 * 147: Pantheism: A doctrine which identifies God with the universe, or regards the universe as a manifestation of God.
 * 148: Liberalism: The holding of liberal views.
 * There is a poster inside the library advertising Spanish lessons. The headline says "Habla Espanol?", meaning "speak Spanish?". The rest of the poster includes the text "Spanish Speaking Tutor taking New Students".
 * The same poster can be seen in the hallway in Neal's apartment building in "Manhattan".
 * A poster inside the library contains the phone number 555-0166, which is the phone number of the Storybrooke Convent. Curiously, the headline says "port and marine safety and security certificate".
 * Several members of the production team of Once Upon a Time are listed as authors of a set of nautical guide books:
 * R. Lavigueur, a reference to production staff member Rob Lavigueur
 * G. Venturi, a reference to art director Greg Venturi
 * B. Burd, a reference to property master Bill Burd
 * M. Price, a reference to productions staff member Marc Price
 * N. Westlake, a reference to graphic designer and productions staff member Neil Westlake (listed as the author of two books)
 * Neil Westlake is also credited as a photographer on the front page of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror in "The Stable Boy".
 * Neil Westlake is also listed as one of the reviewers on the book blurb for Isaac's novel Heroes and Villains in "Operation Mongoose Part 1".
 * Neal Westlake is also the name of the author of the book Robin Hood: Myth & Legend in "Only You".
 * K. Santarosa, a reference to productions staff member Kevin Santarosa
 * A. Hrytzak, a reference to productions staff member Adrian Hrytzak
 * The author of "A Nautical Guide" (which Belle consults) is "D. McLean", a reference to production staff member Douglas McLean
 * D. McLean is also the name of a news reporter listed in the newspaper that Isaac reads in "Operation Mongoose Part 2".
 * The illustration of the monkey's fist knot, is a slightly altered version of a picture that can be found on several online websites.
 * One page says:

[image begins]f the sails are ''[image begins]d [image begins HITCH) [image begins] the top is defined [image begins]oks as a rolling [image begins] defined by some [image begins] hitch but is a variant [image begins]not with a Half Hitch" [image beginsottom knot is similar to a [image begins]t line hitch is doubled [image begins]anding part of the line.
 * Most of the text is actually an excerpt from a leaflet called "The Basics of Sailing 2010". The full excerpt, found on page 80, reads:


 * "Rolling Hitch (or Magnus Hitch): In the right hand picture, the knot on the top is defined by Ashley and most US knotting books as a rolling Hitch. The knot on the bottom is defined by some British knotting books as a rolling hitch but is a variant of what Ashley calls a "Awning Knot with a Half Hitch" or a "Midshipman Knot". The bottom knot is similar to a taut line hitch except that a taut line hitch is doubled back on itself and tied to the standing part of the line."


 * Various members of the production team are also listed as authors of the books on a shelf where Cora finds Mr. Gold's map:
 * B. Chometsky, a reference to production staff member Brenda Chometsky (barely readable)
 * R. Lavigueur, another reference to production staff member Rob Lavigueur (barely readable)
 * M. Joy, a reference to production designer Michael Joy
 * B. Burd, another reference to property master Bill Burd
 * P. Venturi, a reference to illustrator Paolo G. Venturi
 * G. Venturi, another reference to art director Greg Venturi
 * S.B. Edwards, production staff member
 * A. Hrytzak, a reference to production staff member Adrian Hrytzak
 * M. Soparlo, a reference to production staff member Mark Soparlo
 * M. Soparlo was also listed as the news reporter in a newspaper clipping about baby Emma in "True North" and "Family Business".
 * M. Soparlo is also the name of a news reporter listed in the newspaper that Isaac reads in "Operation Mongoose Part 2".
 * According to the poster behind the front desk, the book categories are general works, psychology and philosophy, religion & mythology, social sciences, languages, natural sciences & math, applied sciences & technology, arts & recreation, literature, and geography & history.
 * A framed map of Storybrooke is hanging on the wall inside the library.
 * In "The Queen Is Dead", Regina and Cora use an almost identical library map with the same kind of frame, to find the location of the Dark One's Dagger.
 * -|Other Notes=

Filming Locations

 * The building is portrayed by Nikka Fishing & Marine, a two-story store on Moncton Street in Steveston Village.

Goofs

 * When Emma walks Henry to school, as she pauses and stops walking, the clock tower building is reflected in the window, but without the actual clock tower.
 * After a playground scene with Emma and Henry, there is a shot of Storybrooke main street where you can see the clock tower building, but without the actual clock tower.
 * When Moe French steps out of his florist's van, in the background, you can see the clock tower building, but without the clock tower.
 * As David and Mary Margaret are walking through Main Street, the top of the real Nikka Fishing & Marine, which looks completely different from Storybrooke's clock tower, can be seen behind a building.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.


 * The Storybrooke Library appears in a photo in "Breaking Glass".