Middletown Free Library Magazine | Fall 2022

PUBLISHER

Parag

BOARD

Robert Fyfe, President

Parag Dalal, Vice President

Tim Sander, Treasurer Ken Dinitz, Secretary

Genevieve Hamilton, MFL Friends Liaison

Mark Borda

Patricia Finegan Betsy Podrebarac

Dave Irving, Trustee Emeritus Dan Washburn, Board Advisory Committee

STAFF

Derek Lloyd, Director Laura Kuchmay, Adult Services Librarian

Jason Fialkovich, Youth Services Director Carol Rickert, Head Library Assistant Jenny O'Neill, Adult Services Assistant Libby McCampbell, Youth Services Assistant Matthew Lomas, User Services Sarah Chan, User Services Ana Paula Fonseca, User Services

VOLUNTEERS

Adwait Chafale

Leslie Grissom

FRIENDS OF MFL

Cathy Bautista, President

Judy Boudwin

Genevieve Hamilton

Jeanne Maloney

Sharon Napoli

Pat Voelker

Dear Friends,

Middletown Free Library celebrated its 65th anniversary last year — and it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come.

We started our journey as a bookmobile in a red school bus in 1956. Four years later, the library moved into what would be its home for the next six-plus decades, an old farmhouse on Pennell Road. In 2021, we made a huge leap forward, and expanded into our new, modern home at the Roosevelt Community Center on South Old Middletown Road, in partnership with Middletown Township.

To finance the move, the library successfully completed a three-year, $1 million Campaign for Middletown Free Library, raising a total of $1,071,136. Special thanks to Tim Snyder for sharing his expertise and especially to the Henderson Foundation and Betsy Podrebarac and her late-husband Frank for their extremely generous gifts.

After the move was complete, our longtime director, Mary Gazdik, left to pursue a new path within the Chester County Library System. We thank her for 10 years of service to the community and wish her luck and success in her new role.

After an extensive search for a new director, we ended up not having to look very far for the ideal candidate. Derek Lloyd has worked at MFL for the past four years in several roles, and received his Masters in Library Science from Clarion University. We look forward to Derek continuing the legacy of supporting our community.

I’d like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who has visited our new space and supported the library over the past year. And please consider this a personal invitation to come back. Explore our new space and everything it has to offer: Check out a book, attend an award-winning program, play a board game, make something cool.

Your continued patronage is how we make our next 65 years just as successful as our first.

Sincerely, Bob Fyfe Board President

have lived in Middletown since 1975, and MFL has always been a real

Now in a new home, the library continues its excellence in providing the township with the best programs and staff in the county. No wonder the library is our second home.

Elmwood

DEREK LLOYD

10 QUESTIONS FOR MFL’S NEW DIRECTOR

WHEN IT CAME time for the Middletown Free Library board to hire a new library direc tor, they didn’t have to look far. Derek Lloyd, who assumed the role in May, is what you might call “home grown talent.” Originally from Glenolden, Derek has lived in Delaware County his entire life. He’s a graduate of Monsignor Bonner High School and Villanova University, and earlier this year received his Master of Library and Information Science degree from Clarion University. For the past four years, Derek has worked at MFL, first as the assistant children’s librarian and more recently as the technical services librar ian. The regular board game meetups he runs at the library are the stuff of (sometimes literally) legend. A card-carrying library member since the age of 5, Derek recently sat down with us to discuss books, new buildings — and yes, board games.

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST LIBRARY MEMORY?

Taking forever to decide which book I wanted to borrow from the Glenold en Library.

AND WHAT DID YOU END UP CHOOSING?

A book about cats. I don’t remember the name, but I remember regretting my choice.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF A COMMUNITY LIBRARY IS THESE DAYS?

There are fewer places in society where people can go to meet up in a group for free. When I was younger, we could go walk the mall or sit in a bookstore. Many of those are gone, along with other places that served the same purpose. The library can fill that void. Additionally, the information explosion that has happened has changed what the library offers. People are more in need of a library of things than previously. What can now be read or listened to online used to be solely the realm of the hardcopy book. Where the library offered almost entirely books in the past, it will now offer a variety of things for the public to check out, such as board games, tools, and wireless devices.

SPEAKING OF BOARD GAMES, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES?

According to my spreadsheet — yes, I have one — there are five depending on who and how much time I have. If I have to pick one, Dungeon Fighter is it. A cooperative game that can be played by almost any age, up to six play ers, with strategy, comedy, and a physical dexterity component. It’s the only game I recall playing at the library where everyone was having so much fun I had to quiet us down.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK GENRE?

Currently, young adult or adult graphic novels (the Comic Book Story of Profes sional Wrestling is the best one I’ve read recently) and adult non-fiction (the Rational Bible series is what I am currently reading). While I was a stay at home parent, my ability to read long form books was limited. I found that graphic novels allowed me to read books in the 10 or 15 minute windows I had while taking care of young children. That has stuck with me. As my kids

grew up, I found myself continuing to read graphic novels. My interest in the adult non-fiction genre stems from listening to podcasts. When I hear one that I find interesting, I investigate the book for more in-depth knowl edge. I should note that this is more recent, since up until my youngest child was 8 years old, I wouldn’t have had time for those books.

WHAT BOOK DO YOU THINK YOU’VE REREAD THE MOST?

That would be The Battle Book, a statistical collection of all world battles up to 1992. My first copy fell apart around 2000 and I’m on my second one. The book hits a sweet spot for me: I enjoy numbers, statistics, and analysis of battles.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?

I think my wife would argue I never relax — but I do. Before I go to bed I listen to a podcast and paint models for use in wargames. That is how I re lax. One of my philosophies is to find the things that you enjoy and do them whenever possible. So my list will be long: Play all manner of games (board, wargames, role-playing, sports, poker), go out to eat, go to the movies, and go to renaissance fairs. The common thread is spending time with people.

WHAT WOULD FOLKS BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?

I think there would be a lot of things, but I’ll go with these two: I played in a recreational men’s basketball league for 20 years and I have never ridden the subway.

WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING ABOUT MFL’S NEW HOME IN THE ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY CENTER?

There is so much to like about it, but for me it’s that feeling when you walk in the door. You walk into a bright open place that’s inviting you in, and when you look around you realize that this amazing space has something to offer everyone. The private tutoring and conference rooms get a great deal of use, as much as we had hoped they would. The teen space gets more teens in it than the old building ever had. The community collaborative space has at least one group using it daily. The makerspace has multiple programs every week that would have been challenging in the old building.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE “DEREK ERA” AT MFL?

From the “Dera”? You can expect a lot of puns. You can look forward to an expanded building with new rooms and new programs. You can look forward to hours and collections tailored as best as possible to the needs of the community. And you can look forward to a smile and friendly greeting every time you find me.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Our New Home

By KEN DINITZ Photographs by DAN WASHBURN

Looking down at the circulation desk in the new Middletown Free Library.

DECEMBER 2021, Middletown Free Library

(MFL) completed its three-year, $1 million campaign raising $1,071,136 from generous indi viduals and foundations to support the cost of our move to a new, municipally owned space in the ren ovated Roosevelt Community Center, formerly the Roosevelt School. The library is now open in this larger, more modern space with technology and furnishings purchased by the library reflecting current best practices in the library sector.

MFL’s unique adult programs — including yoga, painting, Chinese and Russian cultural groups, and excellent children’s programs — attract people from all over Delaware County, and beyond. The new facility is even more of a draw, with the only dedicated makerspace in a public library in the county, featuring new 3-D printers. We will soon be adding the only audio-visual production studio in a Delco library and a second tutoring room. The new library also features shared performance and event spaces that attract audiences from across the county to cultural events. All programs and facili ties are free to the public.

1. The children’s area has its own circulation desk.

2. Colorful modular origami on display in the children’s area. 3. The main entrance. 4. The wooden red bookmobile in the children's area.

Since its founding in 1956, Middletown Free Library has been dedicated to serving the educa tional and cultural needs of Middletown Township and Delaware County. Over time, we have add ed programs to meet the needs of a growing and evolving community. As technology advances and how people use libraries changes, we respond. For example, the new library space emphasizes col laborative workspaces, internet connections, and charging stations. Patrons with limited resources can use our computers to access information on jobs, health, and social services for free. Through all of these changes we remain true to our mission — to help the people of our community achieve their full potential through the transformative power of information, imagination, and ideas.

Story time seating in the children’s area. 6. The teen area.

Private seating areas for patrons. 8. Diner-like seating for patrons to work while eating. 9. The makerspace — the first in a county library. 10. The adult book collection.

The computer lab. 12. Outside the main entrance.

The Moyer family: (L to R) Allison, Mike, Kris, and Katelyn.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

A look back at the last time the library moved into a new building.

Carving Out a Legacy

How one family’s passion — and craftsmanship — bookends the story of our library’s history

BY JASON FIALKOVICH PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN WASHBURN

IT’S THE FIRST THING you see when you enter the new Middletown Free Library — and it is stunning. Made of intricately carved cherry wood, measuring 16-feet wide, and weighing nearly a quarter of a ton, it’s just as much an art installation as it is a circulation desk.

“Everybody thinks it is amazing,” said Jenny O’Neill, MFL’s adult services assistant, who of ten works seated behind the conversation piece. “People say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is beautiful.’ And then they ask what it’s made of, and who made it.”

The answer to that last question begins to un lock the hidden secret of the circulation desk. This decidedly modern piece of furniture is a direct link to the earliest days of the Middletown Free Library, and represents a family carpentry con nection that’s touched all of the library’s incarna tions dating back to 1956.

Walter “Bok” Read is the human embodiment of that connection. He shaped the desk from $2,500 worth of lumber furnished by the library. It took him two full months of work, six hours a day. And he donated the desk to MFL without asking for a penny.

Bok, as most people know him, is a lifelong Middletown resident, a township council mem ber, and a retired educator who taught physics and chemistry at Penncrest High School for 39 years.

He’s also, clearly, an extremely talented wood worker — with a deeply ingrained love of libraries. Those traits were passed down from his parents, Margaret and Truman.

“The library was always a big deal for my family,” Bok explained. “We’re all readers. My mother was a librarian. My father never went to college or any thing, but he probably read a book a week his en tire life — and remembered every word. So I don't know — libraries are cool.”

Margaret and Truman were one of three fam ilies who raised the funds — $400 — to purchase a school bus from the Elwyn school in 1956. The Reads, Murray and Bob Engle, and Doris and Phil lip Sanders had the bus painted red and fitted it with wooden shelves. Thus, the Middletown Free Library bookmobile was born.

Bok recalls, as a child, “schlepping materials around” during the process of converting the bus. “I couldn’t ride in the bus,” he said. “Nobody was allowed to ride in the bus while it moved around the township. I remember seeing 15 people wait

a row, much to the delight of the children in the school bus.”

All of the bookmobile’s books were donated. The selection was modest, but residents were grateful to have access to books they wouldn’t have oth erwise. After three years of the bookmobile rid ing around town, Middletown residents wanted a library in a physical building. The property at 21 North Pennell Road was purchased from the Weathers family, and the work of transforming an old home into a library began. This second edition of Middletown Free Library opened in 1960.

“A lot of people were involved with building the library,” said Bok, who was 15 years old at the time. “I was so proud of the small little section of wood flooring I had done. I was working with a guy in his 50s, and he enjoyed teaching me. I don’t remember who the first librarians were, but my mother became one later on. She started helping out at the library just as a volunteer, then went to Drexel to get her degree in library sciences so she could become a librarian at the Middletown Free Library.”

(Bok shared one of his mother’s favorite librar ian stories. A small child, wearing toy revolvers around his waist, warned Margaret not to go into a certain section of the library because there were “very dangerous bears there.” Coincidentally, some evening staff at our new library location did in fact see a small black bear in the parking lot in Novem ber 2021.)

Bok’s father Truman worked on the second dry dock at the Chester Shipyard. It was from him that Bok learned how to work with his hands — with precision. “When you’re working on a 400foot tanker, everything had to be right,” Bok said.

Truman enjoyed making furniture in his free time, and Bok would always do what he could to help. “When it came to making furniture or fix ing a house, you just do it,” Bok said of his dad’s can-do attitude toward such projects.

“He’d tell me, ‘Of course you can do it — there’s absolutely no question,’” Bok said. “‘You just have to figure it out.’”

The earliest item Bok remembers carving out of a block of wood was a horse’s head. “I was 12 years old, and I was really proud of this head of a horse that I made out of walnut and I spent a lot of time working on it,” he said. “It was very stylish, didn’t have any eyes, and had a single curve on top. I wasn’t allowed to use power tools, so I had to make this curve just right.

“When I finished, I showed it to some relatives and they assumed I had made it for my Aunt Edith, so I gave it to her. My parents were furious! They knew I was so proud of it and wanted it. Thirty years later when Aunt Edith passed away, my par ents went and got it back. I still have it, and when friends see it they say that I peaked with my work when I was 12 years old.”

Of course, anyone who sets eyes on the circu lation desk at Middletown Free Library knows those friends were joking. You want curves? It’s got them by the hundreds. And Bok carved each one, using a chisel he inherited from his great grandfather. He estimates around 50 hours of ef fort went into the curves alone. People often ask Bok when they see the C-shaped desk, “How do you bend the wood?” He doesn’t bend it — he takes it away, bit by bit. If you take time to properly study the desk, you’ll really notice the intricate scrolls and grooves — it looks like it’s alive, like rippling water or a fabric wrinkling in the wind. And that was by design — he’s a former science teacher, after all.

“I always liked motion in sculptures,” Bok said. “I was aware of radius of curvature. The smaller the radius of curvature, you get a busy, fluttery sort of thing. The bigger the radius of curvature, you get the swoop factor.”

Bok added, “It’s a lot of hit and miss. You need to see it as you’re doing it. Especially with something as big as this [desk]. I was afraid the size would inundate the smaller details.”

With the library’s move to the Roosevelt Com munity Center on South Old Middletown Road, Bok’s connection to the space has come full circle in a way. He spent a part of his childhood just around the corner on Fox Road, and attended kindergarten in the library building when it was known as the Roosevelt Elementary School.

He said his parents would appreciate Middle town Free Library’s continued evolution.

“The library on Pennell Road was more tra ditional,” he said. “The majority of the spacing went to shelving. This space is vast, just so much bigger. They would definitely like it. It’s an excit ing space!”

If you take time to properly study the desk, you’ll really notice the intricate scrolls and grooves — it looks like it’s alive.

2021 LIBRARY TIMELINE

NOVEMBER

The library hosts a two-day opening celebration with music, crafts, activity tables, food trucks, a bounce house, and much more on November 5-6.

SEPTEMBER

JANUARY

With many patrons still preferring to remain at home, the library continues to offer virtual programming such as zentangle, genealogy, and embroidery for adults, Zoom storytimes for families, and a virtual coding club for kids.

Our ’80s Trivia Virtual Happy Hour was also a huge success.

FEBRUARY

We launch three virtual book clubs, including one on British mysteries. Keeping with that theme, Chester County History Center’s Jenn Green gives a pop ular virtual presentation entitled The Dark History of Delaware County: Unusual Deaths, Crimes, and Haunt ings in Penn's Woods.

AUGUST

On September 13, MFL starts “curbside-only” service at 464 South Old Middletown Road (we were awaiting our certificate of occupancy). The new MFL officially opens for in-person service starting on September 29.

On November 6, the Chinese American Parents Association of Rose Tree Media School District donates 200 Chinese-language books to the library for children and adults.

Staff and volunteers pack up roughly 45,000 items in the library’s collection and move and move them to our new location.

APRIL

With spring in the air, MFL’s Mr. Jason takes his popular story times to Sleighton Park, offering “Books on Blankets” for families.

JULY

From July 7-9 MFL hosts another sale featuring old furniture, office supplies, and six decades worth of other sundry items.

Trustee Emeritus Dave Irving closes the doors at 21 North Pennell Road for the final time. The library staff begin getting the collection ready for the move.

MFL hosts its annual fall Craft Beer Fest fundraiser on November 12 with nearly 200 in attendance.

DECEMBER

Led by Veronica Batter of Rockdale Art Center, our "Bottle & Brush Night" fundraiser on December 3 sees more than 30 attendees paint their best Monet-inspired "Sunset in Venice."

MAY

On May 1, MFL togeth er with the Friends of the Middletown Free Library group hosts a yard sale and book sale to raise funds and pass on items not moving to the new space.

JUNE

On June 17, we bid "Farewell 21 North Pennell Road" with a celebration featuring refreshments and live music.

DONORS

$1,071,136 Campaign Commitments to Date

JANUARY 1, 2019 –

DECEMBER 31, 2021

$250,000 plus

Wilbur C. and Betty Lea Henderson Foundation

$100,000 plus

Betsy & Frank Podrebarac

$50,000 plus Anonymous

Irving Family (David & Barbara Irving, Philip & Diane Zinn, Carol & Stan Nichols)

Linvill Family (in memory of Peg & Paul Linvill) $25,000 plus

Friends of the Middletown Free Library Jeanne Maloney & Parag Dalal Bob & Shirley Fyfe Gary & Mary Jo Grove Timothy P. & Arlene A. Snyder, CFREs

$10,000 plus Anonymous

John G. and Ruth K. Kramer Charitable Trust (Doug Roger) Justin & Kaori Nepo

Timothy F. & Marcia E. Sullivan

$5000 plus Anonymous

Katherine Blanchard Estate Heather Irish & Glen Butterfoss

Timothy & Arlene Sander Ray Titter

The Wawa Foundation Inc. Helene Weathers William Zimmer

$2,500 plus

BeneServe (Russ Carlson)

Gail & Bruce Clark Ken & Paulina Dinitz Laura and Joseph Graham Martha Harriz Nielson-Kellerman (Alix James)

Republic Bank (Ken Klein) Trimm Glass (Steve Whitmore) Werner & Christa Volkman

$1,000 plus Clinton Brooks Katherine & Keith Buchanan Sally Burkam Helen & Steve Buxton Carlson’s Auto Body (Gunnar Carlson)

Suzanne & Brian Clauser Nancy & Peter Clinton Lori Enriquez

Patricia Finegan James Flandreau Talmadge & Susan Graham Genevieve & Robert Hamilton

Lawrence Hartley

Charles & Connie Joanedis

Timothy & Rebecca Joyce Khaw Family Foundation Donald & Pamela Melnick

Joel Neigh & Carla Hetzel Clayton & Helen O’Neill

Heidi & David Powell Ann Reece

Carolyn & David Reed Harry & Susan Rupp

Mariann Rybarczyk

Ricardo & Theresa Salcedo Richard Scheff & Natalie Ramsey

David & Judy Sharbaugh Barbara & William Shaw Judith & Richard Stingle

Bill & Judy Strine Mark & Barbara Sunner Bill & Bev Taylor MaryAnne Troy Wolff’s Apple House (Kim Wolff)

$500 plus Benjamin Alouf Bob & Theresa Anstotz Anne Bates Gregory Blackman Mary Anne Bogie Dianne Caggiano Dr. Julia Catini Richard & Martha Coyle Anne Curran

Philomena D'Orazio Amber Flynn George & Carole Forsythe Thomas & Kathleen Gaval Hadley Guiler

Denise Hader

Richard Heller Augusta & John Hixson

Joseph Jaskot

Richard & Jan Kagarise

John Kelley

Dr. Stephen Korzeniowski June Kowalski

Suzanne Lehman

Patti Linden

Lou & Donna Marcozzi Susan Mescanti

Ms. Leslie B Miller

Brian Munro

Carol L Nichols

Michael Norquist

Barbara T Norton

John & Debra Paulson Edward & Phyllis Podrebarac

Judy Ann Reed Green

Ronald Reese

Susan Satur

Liz Scholz

Kenneth & Dolores Soltis

Phyllis Stevick

Alfred Stewart

Philip & Patricia Vogler

Dennis & Donna Woody

$250 plus

Richard & Mary Anne Adler

Judith Allen

Jan Beale

Robert & Nancy Bernhardt

Ms. Rachel Berry

Amy Binder

Michael Bomstein & Margaret Demarteleire

Mark Borda

Margaret A Boris

Carol & Steven Bowman Christopher & Polly Bush

Patrick & Susan Caligiuri

Carol Chapman

Clifford & Donna Cohen

Dan & Tammy Cramer

Brian & Katherine Crowner

Dr. Claire Loretta Dente PhD John Dibuonaventura Jr

Barbara Digi

John Dombroski

Mrs. Rosemary Duffy Scott & Elaine Galloway Larry Geary

Mary Ann Geiger

Gloria Goodrich

Ernest Gore

William & Elizabeth Gorman Sharon & Al Guarente Christine Hagendorf

John & Geraldine Hansen

Leslie & Richard Higham

Mark Hopkins

Joan Hendrickson

Mrs. Jen Katz-Buonincontro

Margaret Long Kuo

Christopher Lamoureux

Jill Laxton

Dr. Larrye Loss

Donna Maher

Joan & Edward Martin

Jack & Susan Masters

Kyle & MaryBeth Mcavoy

Larry McConnell

R. Robert McElwee

Robert & Alice Messinger

Andrew Miller

Dana Miller

Arthur & Kathleen Moffa

Elisa K Moxley

Daniel & Carmela Mullen

William Muller

Carol Nichols

Theodore & Elizabeth Ottey III

Peter & Helen Pitts

Susan Powell

Margery Preddy

Lynn Anne Procopio

Ernest & Angela Repice

Michele & Mario Restaino Louis Ricker

Michael & Elizabeth Ripple

Anthony & Barbara Rooklin

Mark Rosenberg

Anthony & Gay Sabatelli

Ms. Judy Schlett

Katharine Silvasi

Stanley Slater

George & Vivian Sutton

Mr. Todd Swanson

Janice Ticknor

Rebecca Warda

Marie Wardynski Lawrence Weathers

Michael Joseph Wernert

Jacquelyn White-Reimer JoAnn Williams

Lawerence Willinger Tanya Yang Anthony Zupa

$100 plus Ward & Brenda Abrams ADIYA LLC

Janice & Thomas Alessi Barbara Anderson Jessica Andzulis

Heather Appell

Tariq Badawi

Jo Ann Baiocco

Conadine Banninger

Ronald L Barnes

Mrs. Bonnie Bellino

David & Sandra Bennett

Claudia & David Bennett & Child

Margaret Berken

Lori B. Birney

Jean Blumenfeld

Robert & Jean Boell

Ernest and Edna Bogert Judith Boudwin

James & Jean Bowen Austin Boyd

James & Tracy Boyle

Lorraine Bradshaw Jeanne Brna

Alexandra Brock

Anne & Steuart Brown

Daril J. Browning Kathryn Buckley Sara Bunnell

Michael B. Bunner

David & Molly Burk

David & Claudia Burtt

Jim Bushey

Brenda & Benjamin Bustard Dianne & Nick Caggiano Richard & Kim Calhoun

Jay & Katey Carlis Jay Carlis

Robert Carney Dee Anne & Warren Casner

Joy Catanese Ginny Cave Robert Clancy Nicole Clement

Frederick Clothier Nicole Clothier Gary Coleman Allison Collings

Carol & Jack Colombo Eileen Corl Michael Cosentino Deborah Cotter Kathleen Coulter Joann Crowley Brian - Kat Crowner Joseph Damico William & Denise Davidson Joan Davis Elizabeth Deegan Kathleen & Vincent Delvacchio Lynn Demeester Lawrence & Patricia DeMooy Christine Demuro Warren & Mary Densmore Carol Devine Anthony & Debra Dicicco Steve & Tracey Diserafino Michael & Kathleen Dolan Sandra Donnelly Anne Donovan Jacqueline Dooley Timothy Brandon Dowd Elaine Dunn Lynne Easton John & Sharon Ebenreiter Matthew & Mary Egan Fernando & Yvonne Enriquez Melissa & Jonathan Evans Dr. Eileen Everly MaryAnne Eves Rachel Ezzell Virginia Falkenbach Dan & Kathleen Falkenstein Charles & Carol Farnan James Fawcett Elaine Fetterman Marian & Lawrence Filtz Edward & Deborah Cai Fink Mrs. Jo Anne Fitzgerald William & Rosemary Fulgham Joseph & Cynthia Furia

Edward & Margaret Furmaniak

Ms. Bette Jean Ganter Jeff & Elizabeth George Marie Gianchetti Patricia Gildea

James S. & Mary Glessner Joseph J Gonzales PhD Allison Gosselin Mary Graham

John Grant Leslie Grissom Sandra Gruber

Revelino & Merlyn Guron David Guthrie

Suzane Gutierrez Patricia Haggerty John & Cynthia Hamilton Maggie Hancock Janet Hausch

Susan Hearon Don & Jinny Heilala Dean & Carol Helm Dean Carol & Jake Helm Ruth W Hendry Danielle & Michael Henry Kristin Hensley Edward Hess Alina Nicole Hess Peter & Janice Holston Anne Hopkins Mike & Betty Hummel Margaret Huss Michelle Jeffrey Ruth Ellen Ellen Johnson Ruth Johnson

Joanne & Lennart Jungbark James & Helen Kain Virginia & Stephen Kapski Eileen & Paul Karwaski Karen Katz

Charles & Karen Katz Elizabeth Kavitski Diane Keeley Tom Killion

Donald King

Joyce & Wade King William Kinney James Kipp Drew Kmetz Patricia Kocher

Walter Koenig Mrs. Maria Kotch Yvonne Kuc Michael & Chrissa Kuntz Michael & Faith Kwaszkiewicz Mary Anne & Stanley Kwaszkiewicz Dr. John Kwon Jane M Laffend Roclyne LaPorte Roclyne LaPorte & Dolores Dinyon John & Ann Laye

Kenneth Leavell

Frederick & Ruth Lestourgeon Holly Lieux Elizabeth Lieux Resident Association of Lima Estates

Bill Linke Patricia & David Livoy Jacey Lucas Debra L Lucas Cheryl Lynch

Elizabeth Lynn Terry Lytle Shannon Mahler Rick & Bonnie Mainwaring Michael Majeski Louise Malady Patricia Maloney Bob Mangano Korah & Shobha Mani John & Judy McDonnell Suzzanne McIntyre

John & Lynda Mckeown Patrick McLaughlin Joseph Mercadante Guy & Lucy Messick Donna & Neil Meyer

Middletown Twp Business & Prof. Assoc.

Dr. Francis Lee Miller

Charlotte Miller

Richard Miller

Terry & Marilyn Mills

Sara Mills

Richard & Harriett Moberly Terrance J Mohan

Christopher & Janice Moore

William & Marian Moran

Mrs. Tracy Moran

Mark Morrison Elizabeth Morton Matthew Mousley

Brian & Teresa Mulholland

Theresa Mulloy Kevin Murphy

Manish Nasta Marie Natoli

Justin Nepo

Kermit M Norris

Mary D North

Dolores Novelli

Susan O'Connell

Doug & Wendy O'Connor

Nancy O'Toole

Nancy & William O'Toole

Bonnie Oestreich

Justin Ohm

Jeanne Ohm

Betty Olchewsky

Annette Olesen

John & Gail Olshefski

Shawna Ong

Lisa Oster

Nadya Ostroff

Michael Ostroski

Ralph & Rita Paige

Mary Palladino

Caitlyn Pandian

Joseph Patterson

Janice Kirkwood & Philip Peterson

Joanne Phillips

Kristen & Ryan Phillips

Emily & Brit Pilling & Goldstein

Louis G Pobo

Frances Poole

Benjamin & Margery Preddy

Jeremy Proffitt

Katherine Prosser

Steve & Dana Querido Diane Ransom

Leonard & Suzanne Rappold

Terry & Polly Renee

Rauenzahn

Kelly Rayfield

Sharon Reed

Debra Reed

Sarah Rehberg

Riddle Village Resident Council

George Rigby

Sally Robbins

Donna Roberts

Fred & Helen Roberts

Nathan Rothkopf

Barbara Ryan

Eileen Sabatelli

Dominic & Kjerstin Sama

Steven & Carolyn Samples

Mrs. Budi Saputra

Peggy Scalpello

Edward & Patricia Schaal

Charles & Jane Schock

Charles Schock

Ginny Schroeder

Sara Schukraft

Kimberly Schultz

Margaret Sears

Caroline Seddon

Judith Sharbaugh

Ms. Susan Sharp

Dennis Shea William Sheehan

Laura Shell

William & Jacqueline Shepherd

Ann Marie Sher

Marion & Bob Shufelt

Agnes Silverman

Renae & Sean Sirkin

Jacqlyn & Scott Sisson

Gregory Smith

Richard & Catharine Smith

Barbara Snyder

Susan Sohn

William & Jean Spring James & Judith Staley

Renae Starker

Tom & Mary Starrs

Lucille G Steele

Karl & Marjorie Stern

William & Jean Stollsteimer

Stephen Stroffolino

Margaret Sullivan MC Tabun

Gwen Thompson Olga Thornton Barbara Tripier

Allen & Margaret Turberville Angelica Turunc Anne Visco Emogene M Vough

Jan Waldauer

Iles Wauhop Larry Weathers

Susan Welfley Gladys Wells Judith Wentz

Pat & Nick Whalen Diana Wheeler

David & Mary Anne White Burton Williams David & Priscilla Williams Edward & Mary Williams JoAnn Williams

Barbara & Earle Williams Donna & Glenn Willis Mr. Kyle J Winters

Charmaine Wishart

Patricia & Frederic Woerth Stephen Wood Kenneth & Patricia Woznicki Christine & Robert Wright Mr. & Mrs. Richard Wroblewski Susan C Yong Ms. Lillian Young Daniel & Sung-Yin Zakorchemny Pamela Ziegler

Under $100

Bernardine Abbott David & Joyce Acton Edith Aiken

Amanda Allen

Jeffrey & Connie Allison Mark Amero Bridget Amero

Joan & John Amoriello

Albert & Margaret Amoroso Elizabeth Anderson Michelle Anderson Kathleen Anderson

Kari Andreasen

David & Doris Archibald Ms. Ruth E Auerbach Steve Austin

Rudolph & Maria Baehr

Marcia Baehr

Marian Baldini Filtz

Frank & Luanne Baratta Peter Barry Anthony & Barbara Basilio Angela Bates-Majewski Elaine Battle Laurie Baxter Suzanne Beaumont Ronald & Sabrina Bedard William & Eileen Belanger Ellen Belk Heather Bellini

Dilip Bhandarkat James & Carol Bigas Susan Birkhoff Mark Biscoe Rita Bloomingdale Valerie Borek James Bostelle James Boyle Thomas & Carole Bradley Deborah Bramwell Korina Brettschneider Joan Bridge Matt Bridge Connor Bristow Lisa Britton

Richard & Lorie Brodecki Jean Broemel Kelli Brown

Stephen & Dorothy Brown Karen Brown

Clarence & Susanne Bryan Daniel & Susan Bubnis Domnick Bucci Katherine Buchanan Mandy Alycia Buhle William Bullitt Grant Butler Ryan C & Jamie M Cahill Jim Calgiano Mrs. Carol Campanelli Maria A Campbell JoAnn Campbell Catherine Campbell-Perna Leslie Campo Julia Canonica Christie Cari

Carol A Carmanico Jessica Carr Kyle Carr Lois Castagna

John & Ellen Chacosky

An Chau Nancy Chen Cailong Chen Thomas Chermol Jr. Frigiola & Meier Chiropractic Dr. Cheryl J Clarkin Colleen Claypoole Shirley Clayton Sandra Clitter Patricia Cofiell Gloria Colabelli Mary Colflesh Terry Collington Joseph Consiglio Pam Consorti

Paul & Rosemary Conway Robert & Paula Cook Eileen Corl Andy Costanzo Donna Coulter Roslyn Cowen Paul & Elizabeth Cox Kathleen Coyle Thomas & Monica Crane Maria Crann Kacy Cullen

Gayle & Vernon Currier Regina Damato Mrs. Elizabeth Davis Marc De Jong marcia dechan David Decker

Rita A Defelippes

Jacqueline DeJesse & John Fisher Kathy DeJohn Liliana DelBonifro

Frank Delia

Robert & Margaret Delprato

Patty & Larry Demooy

Leslie Dente

Arlene Depugh

Michael & Mary Jo Di Mario

William J & Mary G Diamond

Rachel Dibello

Debra Dicicco

Lawrence Divito

Donald & Lynne Dix

Gerald & Patricia Doemling

Lisa Dombroski

Frank & Janet Domingos

Mary Donaldson-Evans

Constance Donnelly

Florence Dougherty

William & Rosemary Dougherty

Raymond & Rosemary Duffy Dolores Duffy

James Dugan

Melody & Edward Dulin

Melissa Dunoff

Theresa Ebersole

Horace & Faith Elcock

Kathleen Ellmore Andrew & Margaret Erdosy

Nancy Erickson

Richard & Renee Erickson

Lorraine & Jeffrey Ertwine Nella & Louis Fancher Morris & Carolyn Fansler

Janine Fante

Paul & Alice Farnschlader Eileen Farrell

Raymond Favinger Diane Ferrante

Betty Jean Fialkovich David Fiebert Debbie Field

Joanne & John Fitzgerald

Richard Fleming

Louis & Linda Flocco

Bill & Jen Flounders

Howard Fluck

Albert & Erin Ford

Marcie Lee Ford Linda Fox

Don & Leslie Fredericks

Ted & Danielle Friel

Peter & Lillian Frigiola

Tim Fuller Marie Furlan

John & Nancy Furmanak

Edward & Margaret Furnaniak

Suzanne Gabriele

Tiffany Gamlin

Kurt Gaston

Susan Gatchell

Christine Gaydos

Mary Gazdik

Laurel Geers

Janet Gemsheim

Archibald & Lillian Gentles

Mr. David Geveke PhD Caroline Gibbone

Stephanie Gilbert

Jillian Gillespie Jen Gillespie Buccilli Michael & Eileen Gilligan Marilyn Gilroy Donna Glace

John & Dorothy Glanfield Lynn Godshall James Goffney

Alan & Mary Jane Golub

Jessica Goodwin

Ryan & Nikki Gormley

Linda Goss

Sue Gramling Nancy Gray Kenneth Green Marlene Green Glen Greenwalt Patricia Gregory Pamela Groses Karen Grossman Julia Haas Charles & Melissa Haebel Molly Hagan

Todd & Susan Hagenbuch Abe Hagenbuch

Samuel Hall Robert Hamilton Karen & Mark Hammond Patricia Hanna Carol Happersett

Angie Hartje Linda Hayduk Glenn Heinbaugh Mark Helner Kevin J Henley Richard & Debra Henne Stephanie Herman Stephanie & Gary Herman Jane Hodgkiss Ronald Hoffpauer Annie Hollis Robert & Karen Holm Elsie Horne Allyn Hostetter Susan Howe Cora & Thomas Hunter C. Edwin Hunter Daniela & Hiroshi Iizuka William & Marianne Ingram Elwood Irwin Glenn Jacobs Salim & Sakina Jafri Kelly Johnson Christina Johnson Joan Johnston Sarah & Ryan Johnston Loretta Jungbluth Leslie Junkin

Kristine Kallinen

Georgette Kandrak Thomas & Maureen Kane A. Robert & Carolyn Kannapel Nicholas Karalis Melanie Katrinak Jessica Katz

Jen Katz-Buonincontro Kate Kauranen

Tanya Keenan Sisan Kelchner

Raymond & Geraldine Kelleher Robert F Keller Renee Kelly

Michel D Kelly

Michael Kelty

Janice Kirkwood Joan Kleckner Joseph Klinger Lucy Klodarska Franklin & Catherine Koch Annie Kohl John & Helen Kolicius Lois Kolimaga Kathleen Koons Marilyn Krall Karleen Krenicky Nicole Krom Kimberly Kubica Amy Kusen Bonita Kushnerick Rita Lamb Doris Landers John Laughlin Henry Laviola Chien Le Patricia & Thomas Leahan Shannon Leahy-Miller Jenna Leggette Ruth Lestourgeon Xiang Li

Sandie Liacouras Karen Lillie Linda Locklear Heidi & David Lockwood Gary & Gayle Logue Sara Long

Paul Lopreiato Eli Lourie Qing Lundy Jeanette Ferguson Lynch Tamara Lynn-Dangerfield Norman & Patricia Macqueen Helen Maglio Jasna Maksimoska Issam & Evelyn Malkoun Mrs. Alycia Mallon-Buhle Cecilia Malone

Thomas & Anne Mandell Vijay Mangal Tanya Manila Amy Lynne Mann Lauri & Philip Mansky

Brenda Marano

Frank Margeson

Daniel Marmer

Annette Martinez Mark Martorana

Elizabeth & Raymond Maruca

David & Sandra Masse

Yann Mathieu

Marjorie Mcaboy

Matthew & Terri McCabe

Sharon Mccann

Edward & Kathy McClellan

Robert McDevitt

Karen McGinn

Carolyn & Kevin

McGlinchey

Jane & Thomas McGovern

James & Virginia McHugh Cheryl McKenzie Kathy McKeone

Brian McLaughlin

Ann Mclaughlin Louise McLean

Dorothy McThenia

Bruce & Lisa McWaters

Kelly Messick

Patti Migliori

Karen Miles

George Miles

Paul & Bernice Miller

Cindy Miller

Eleanor M Miller

Kim Miller

Karen & Bill Mills

Jenny Montague

Janice K Moore

Marc & Louise

Morgenstern

Thomas Morris Kerri Morris

James & Geri Morrison Peter Mueller

Francis Mulcahy

Mary Mulholland

Linda Mullen

Mandy Muller

James & Jean Murphy

Linda Murphy

Eileen Murray

Sarah Musser

Marie-Jose Napier

Anna & Gessie Nasino

Anthony Natale

Dorry Newcomer

Malinda News

Carole & James Nolan

Scott Noye

Tricia & Dan O'Loughlin

Clayton O'Neill

Frances Ollis

Kristina Wong O'Neil

Cynthia Painter Nicole Palman

Albert & Theresa Pasano

Prabha & Harshad Patel

Justine Patterson

Maria Penny

Sue Ann Pentecost

James Pericles

Tracy Perillo

Fran Perrine

Gail Perzchowski

Raymond & Carlotta Peslar

Monica Peta

Denise Pettit

Cheryl & Bill Pfeiffer

Magdalen Philion

Theresa Phillips

William & Loretta Pietrangelo

Anne Pike

David Pincin

Kenneth Pobo

William & Marianne Poole

Dolores Porri

Jaclyn Porter

Michael Porter

Nancy Porto

Steven Powell

Cathy Pregmon

Lisa Prestileo Egolf

Alden Price

John Prokop

Dorothy & Donald Pywell

Lou Rabito

John Radomile

Jason Raia

Ralph Rainey

Vijay Ravi

Dorothy Rawley, PhD

Walter & Carolyn Reading

David & Diane Redash Andrew & Catherine Redding

Carol Reddington

Amelia Register

Michele & Mario Restaino

George & Leslie Ann Reynolds

Susan Rhile

Robert & Jeanette Rieck

Johnathon Riggs

David & Diane Rittenhouse

Rebecca Rogers

Gary & Diane Rosen

Gary & Bridget Rothera Timothy Rowan

Gail Rowe

Susan Rowles

Mildred Royer

Donna Rust Kathleen Ryan Mary Rzucildo Elizabeth Sabo

Jay Sadowski

Charles & Maryann Salerno

Sidney & Kimberly Samuels

Robert Sarafian William & Joann Sausman Larry Schwab

Alfred & Ann Schwacke Kelli S Schweitzer Derrick Schweitzer Christine Sciocchetti Phillis Scott Bonita Scott Melody Scott Elizabeth Seiffert Francis Senatore Joan Sendall Kristin Sergi Brooke Shapiro Judith Sharbaugh Judith Sharer Maryann Shay Michaelene Shay Lori Sheehan

Paul & Joan Sheehan Mrs. Katherine Sheeran Barbara Shellington David & Elaine Shipman Thomas & Beth Shoemaker Keith & Beverly Shooster

Fran Shore

Harvey & Laverne Short Agnes Silverman Pritpal Singh Julia Singleton Joan Skurski

Matthew Skyrm Ruth Smiley Frank Smith David & Barbara Smith Philip Smolcynski

Ernest & Mary Snodgrass

John Soety

Elva South

Donald & Ann Sparks

Barbara Speers

Tyler Spindel

Lillian Stark

Jane Stavis

Joseph & Lorraine Stavola

Margaret Steele

Dani Stefanik

Heather Stevens

Glenn Stieffenhofer William & Regina Stinger

Mickey & Luke Stokes

Sara Stone

Carol & Donald Storey Lawrence & Lauren Strohm

Emily Suchma

Eui Suk & Hae Sook Suh Rosanna Suppa & Kathleen Lewars Marianne Suriani Susan Sweeney

Daniel & Mary Sylvester John & Dorothy Tait

Jen & Bill Tate

Glenn & Deborah Taylor Edward & Marie Taylor Michael & Stacy Tegan Salud Tiro

Emily Treat

Mrs. Carole Truskett Catherine & Howard Tustin

Joseph Tyson Henry Vasil

Kenneth & Kathleen

Vecchia

Marilyn Verbits

Pamela Verica

James & Deborah Vogel

Pat Vogler

Maryann Volpe

Mark & Joyce Volpe

Peter & Arlene Voudouris

Jeffrey Wack

Dan Washburn

Marianne Watson

Ingeborg Watson

Elisabeth Weathers

Donna Weischedel

Joyce Weiss

Mrs. Karen E Wells

Corrie & Ryan Wells

Steve & Elaine White

Donald & Susan Wilkins

Nancy Williamson

Ms. Amy A Winnemore Kezia Wolf

Mary & Peter Wolf

Clifford & Lorraine Woodbury

Richard & Jane Woods

Ronald & Sharon Woolfrey Nancy Worrilow Marcus Wright James Yates

Adrienne Young Jerry Young

Sheri Zachary Catalina Zobel YourCause

Furniture/Shelving

and

$289,557

Middletown

you have visited the Middletown Free Library in recent months, you know our new space and professional staff offer resources, programs, and traditional library materials that help you and your neighbors achieve your full potential through the transforma tive power of information, imagination, and ideas. We are grateful to our gov ernment partners and generous donors for making our new space possible, and their ongoing support that helps us expand our services for a growing and changing community. It is only through the involvement of everyone who recognizes the value of what the library has to offer that we can fulfill our full potential as a center of commu nity activity, learning, and growth. Get involved today!

ENGAGE

“There are fewer places in society where people can go to meet up in a group for free. … The library can fill that void.”

-DEREK LLOYD