By ROBIN STANTON GERROW
BG Independent News
Technology Thursday, cookbook reading groups, family story time and a holiday bake-off are all part of the Wood County District Public Library (WCDPL). But above all, there are books.
Those were part of the opening remarks celebrating the 150th birthday of the library on Saturday, Sept. 20.
“We are passionate about local history,” said Ken Frisch, president of the library board of trustees. “We have family history research programs. We have a dedicated library space including all kinds of information and personal stories that have been recorded. And we have books.”
It was those personal stories that stood out with every speaker.
“I was really fortunate to grow up in a house that valued reading,” said Bowling Green Mayor Mike Aspacher before reading a proclamation. “My mother gave me one of the greatest gifts I received in my life and that’s a love for reading and a love for books.
“My wife and I were grateful for the opportunity to develop that same appreciation for reading books with our children, and now we have a chance to contribute that same appreciation to our grandchildren.”
“This library has a rich and detailed story,” said Michael Penrod, director of the WCDPL. “Libraries are all about story. Story is what connects us from the time we sat with a fire in a cave on a rainy night, to today, to tomorrow. And that story can be different and diverse and varied. But, when we sit around and share our stories, we find so much commonality, connection and community. That’s what this space is about, has been about and will continue to be about for the next 150 years.”
And it was a sentiment expressed by even the youngest patrons of the library.
“You get to pick out books that you really like, and there’s all kinds of books,” said Savannah Eames.
“Especially history books,” echoed Nevea Eames.
Cammy Coakley along with her brothers and sister are frequent visitors to the library.
“If you want to know, my favorite memory is the time I came to the stuffy sleepover and got my first unicorn,” she said. “We come at least four to five times a month—that’s how much I love books.”
Penrod, who has been with the WCDPL for more than 28 years, had a chance to reflect on how the library has changed, but stays true to the library’s mission of lifelong learning and advancing knowledge.
“In 1997 when I first got here, we had one book discussion group,” he said. “We had two or three events a year, we had story time and summer reading. It’s just exponentially grown since then. But we’re still sharing stories and still connecting. That part’s not going to change, just the way we do it.”
