Donor Spotlight

Library Thoughts

by Pam Miller​ 

Children have always been my focus. First by circumstance, then by choice. Though I was an only child for five years, I ended up being the oldest of eight siblings.  Luckily, this circumstance suited me.

I found pleasure and fulfillment in nurturing the young. I got a degree in early-childhood education, had two children of my own, and taught preschool for many years. I also became a children’s author.  

After retirement, Lex and I moved to Shepherdstown. There was much to explore, but the library beckoned like a golden nugget waiting to be discovered. I was not disappointed. Such warmth and welcome awaited inside.

Though I was not looking for a position, I was offered the chance to do story time. To my own surprise, I accepted, because it seemed a delightful place to spend time. That was the beginning of many happy, rewarding years.  

I was not the only one to immerse myself in the library. Lex loved libraries, both the concept and the physical space.  I cannot tell you how many books Lex read in his lifetime, or how many hours he spent in a library, whether reading for pleasure or study, or running a program to offer free tax preparation for those in need.  

The advantages of having had access to a library, wherever we lived, played a tremendous role in both of our lives. During our Shepherdstown years, Lex and I supported the library both financially and as  volunteers to help sustain that access for all. 

When funds for the new library were being gathered, we financially supported that effort. But Lex told me that once the library was built, more money would be needed and we would financially contribute once again.  

To sustain a library there must be planning and foresight. And, of course, capital is necessary to carry forward and execute those plans. Though Lex did not live to see the new library, he was someone who planned for the future and how best to reach the hoped-for outcome.  

A library is many things to many people.  It's a place to explore the world, expand your knowledge, and deepen your knowing.  It’s a place to find answers and to solve problems. Within those walls, you can travel to the past, link to the present, or leap into the future.    

But Shepherdstown Library is even more than that. It is warm. It's welcoming. It’s a place where you can build friendships or find solitude. There is laughter. There is support. There is help.  It's a refuge. It's home. And it’s necessary.

In the construct of the world, a library is a beacon. A rare entity we cannot afford to lose.  It serves all ages. From babies to boomers and beyond, all are welcome. It does not discriminate. It does not exclude. It does not censor. It is welcoming to all who walk through its doors.

Shepherdstown Library has wonderful programs for both adults and children. These programs, experiences, and shelves full of books are available and offered for free.  But it costs money to make things free.  

While the library is a beacon of hope, it is also a building. It is walls with a roof, requiring electricity, water, maintenance, care and repair. There are salaries to be paid and books and materials to be purchased.  

Like life itself, a library requires care, which requires money to keep the heart beating. But it is oh, so worth it.  The returns on this kind of investment are vast. Inestimable, really.

Libraries change people’s lives. Supporting the library, affords each of us a path to affect the future in a most positive way.  While the library nurtures the community, the Library Foundation supports and nurtures the library itself, so that its work can continue.  Supporting The Foundation supports access to the library for all.