`Library celebrates 75 years`

By Erin Remai
Herald News Intern

For 75 years, Shenango Valley Community Library has provided endless hours of information and entertainment to the people of Sharon and surrounding communities.

``We're looking back on the history of the library, but we're also looking forward,'' said Karen Spak, library director.

While structure at East State Street and Sharpsville Avenue was built in 1971, the library's history began in 1903.

Jamie Johnson, 6, of Sharon, plays a computer game at Shenango Valley Community Library in Sharon. (Jean Niece/Herald)

At that time, the only library available to the community was in the F.H. Buhl Club, which, for a fee, provided access to sports and recreational facilities along with books.

In the early 1920s, a group of community leaders decided Sharon needed an improved public library. After circulating a petition, voters approved the request and the library was born in 1923. It remained at the Buhl Club in Sharon until 1971.

``The dual emphasis of the anniversary celebration is that the library has been here, providing information and materials for the Shenango Valley, but the library could not exist without the community to support it,'' Ms. Spak said.

The library has always had active support from the community, Ms. Spak said. A dedicated staff of volunteers offers its time and performs various services. In 1971, Friends of the Library was formed. The volunteers sponsor various fund-raising projects, including the popular book sale the first weekend in October, to provide funds to buy new books.

Ms. Spak said the library has kept up with the trends over the years. The library no longer houses just books, it also has Internet access, an online magazine reference, a children's computer center and multi-media computers complete with informational games, atlases and encyclopedias.

The card catalog and circulation have been computerized for about a year.

``It was a very expensive, staff-consuming project to automate the library, but it is worth it,'' Ms. Spak said. ``It has increased efficiency and effectiveness. On the rare occasions when the computers are down, we miss them.''

Despite the technology of computers and the Internet, Ms. Spak said the library circulation has continued to rise from year to year.

``Although computers and the Internet are a major part of people's lives, reading books is still important for day-to-day living and information,'' Ms. Spak said.

According to Ms. Spak, children in last year's summer reading club read more than 4,000 books.

``That's an indication that there's a lot of reading going on,'' Ms. Spak said.

Children and adult fiction, combined, is the largest category of circulation at the library. Ms. Spak said the library circulated more than 10,000 children's picture books last year.

``It's difficult to keep up with reader demand, especially in areas of popular fiction and best sellers,'' Ms. Spak said. ``With our limited budget, it's a trade-off between best sellers and library resources. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for best sellers, but we don't want to take away from the library's collection.''

The library has grown in 75 years, from 9,000 volumes at the Buhl Club to about 55,000 volumes today.

``This is a very big event for us,'' Ms. Spak said. ``We're very proud to have served the community for 75 years. We want to share our excitement with the community and we hope they will participate in the events we have planned.''

Erin Remai is a student at Westminster College, New Wilmington.