Monroe Lending Library History

Libraries are not made; they grow.  Augustine Birrell

 

This is story of the Monroe Lending Library in Monroe, Ohio.  We are the little library that could.  It started as a wish and with lots of hard work has become a reality.

 

This is not your typical library.  You will not hear people talking in hushed voices when entering our front door.  In fact, you’ll probably hear lots of laugher.

 

Do you remember the old sitcom “Cheers”?  Well, our library is a lot like “Cheers.”  When anyone enters the door, they are greeted like Norm.  They are coming to a place where we know their name.

 

A group of citizens of citizens got together in 2005 and discussed how to go about opening a library.  Monroe is located within the Middletown Public Library’s district.  Due to cuts in funding to public libraries by the state government, Middletown could not afford open a library in Monroe.  A small group of people consisting of Phyllis Sells, Norman Hayes, Seth Johnston, Peggy Hesson, Suzi Rubin and Joyce Tanruether put their heads together to find a way to open a library.  With the help of the Monroe School Local District, who generously supplied a double-wide modular unit located behind Monroe Elementary School, a monetary donation by MidFirst Credit Union and approximately four hundred books donated by Dr. Warren Young from Lebanon, Ohio, the library started to take shape.  Some of the founders have moved on due to illness and other commitments, but we would remiss not to mention them and offer our thanks for helping to establish the library.

 

Shortly after the library came into being, a small article was placed in the city newsletter advising of the need for volunteers who could type to help ready books for the shelves.  Since it was the middle of winter and I was tired of being cooped up in the house, I volunteered to come in and do some typing.  I initially planned this to be a once or twice thing, but after I got started, I got wrapped up in being of service to the community.  Besides, after working a few hours with Phyllis Sells, I enjoyed working and laughing with her so much, I decided to stay on.

 

Phyllis retired from Butler Tech as their Library Technician.  She took me under her wing and taught me what it took to run a library.  We have just completed our fifth year of working together.  I just don’t know where the time has gone.  I think since we laugh and tease each so much, it doesn’t feel like work.  We’re spending time as friends.

 

We have met so many nice people over the last five years.  We have our regulars who bring their children in every month for children’s storytelling time.  We have watched these children grow from not being able to see their heads above the desk to their shoulders now being above the desk.  Some were too young to read when they first started coming and are in school and reading on their own.

 

We have been through loss of family members, births of grandchildren and even a wedding of my eighty year old mother.  All these things have created a bond between all the volunteers.  We are like one big family.

 

When you visit our library, it is not just a visit to the library.  You are visiting our family and we consider you part of it.

 

Phyllis Sells has talked for years about how we should write a book about our library.  Now she is finally getting her wish.  We are hoping it will be profitable for the library, but if it is not, we can sit back and say we had a fun time telling our stories.  It will also serve as a permanent record of how some women (and a few good men) took an idea and made it a reality.

 

Judy Mann