A Lifelong Love for Public Libraries, From Chester Street to Criser Road

Public libraries have been part of communities since the Roman Empire. In the United States, Benjamin Franklin donated books to a Massachusetts town, which became the first public library in the US in 1790. From my latest reading of editorials, we have had the sharing of books in the Front Royal community since 1799.

Throughout my life, I have considered public libraries to be my second home. It all started when I was a young lad attending E. Wilson Elementary School. I lived on Main Street during my childhood in Front Royal. On my walk to school, I would see a little old house on Chester Street. It was converted into a library, Samuels Public Library. I remember the first time my mother took me into the library. I remember the librarian was an older lady, but I don’t remember her name. She was a strict lady. She must have been a former teacher. Anyway, I enjoyed my stays at Samuels growing up, checking out books that were mostly about science. Growing up, I liked going upstairs where all the magazines were kept, especially National Geographic magazines. I remember when I was in Boy Scouts, Troop 52, and we organized all the magazines in an Eagle Scout project.

I moved to Shenandoah County before I graduated; however, I remember going to the new Samuels Public Library. I believe that Mr. Graham was the librarian. He was a kind man. I would still check out science books I had checked out before because I liked them. In recent years, I attended a meeting in a room in the new Samuels Public Library on Criser Road and was impressed. Now, this was an example of a true community library. I read the placard with the names of those responsible for establishing the library with the Board of Supervisors’ names. One was my old friend Tony Carter, and I was proud of him for being involved in establishing a quality public library in Warren County.

For our society to exist as a democracy, be better informed, and learn to work together comes from Public Libraries. We need to have the freedom to read books, which will help us coexist as a society. I am sure there are books at my library, I do not agree with, however I know and make sure there are books available with what I do believe. Our values are to come from the home, and our parents set the rules and guidelines for these values and beliefs. Therefore, patrons of public libraries should have access to books they believe in.

My love for public libraries extended into my college years and into adulthood. My second home, the public library, all started with a small old house on Chester Street called Samuels Public Library. God Bless.

Randy Ruffner
Mount Jackson, VA

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