As a child, my mother took my two brothers and me to the library in Murfreesboro, TN, and we always came home with the maximum number of books allowed. My first beloved book series was the detective book series: The Three Investigators. I spent my high school and graduate school years volunteering in the school libraries, and someday when I retire and am too arthritic to care for our pollinator and vegetable gardens in Myersville, I will spend my days at the C. Burr Artz Public Library, mostly in the Maryland Room.
My husband, Anthony, remembers loving The Scarlet Ibis short story by James Hurst and the story, Stone Soup. An influential book that impacted his decision to become a lawyer to advocate on behalf of the rights of others included a biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Anthony is committed to reading real books; I read mine on my iPad.
I have been a pastor in Maryland for 22 years and currently serve with an amazing community at the Rockville United Church in Rockville, MD. While living in a historic home in Frederick, we were delighted to find the Maryland Room at the C. Burr Artz Public Library, a precious resource for the state of Maryland. Mary and Carolyn are experts in researching the historic materials in the Maryland Room and make available resources online and from other State and National libraries. I started by researching the history of our home. Anthony and I grew into advocates for historic preservation. I was appointed to the City's Historic Preservation Commission, and he was appointed to the County's Historic Preservation Commission. Anthony founded, with many great experts and friends, the Frederick Preservation Trust. Seeking to protect the former Coca-Cola Plant on North Market and the historic Birely Tannery, Ox Fiber, and Union Mills buildings, we compiled the rich history of these Frederick Gems, among many others. In seeking to protect the Frederick County Jail building, now the Frederick Rescue Mission, I discovered at the Maryland Room that at least 32 people were unjustly hanged in the walled-rear yard of the former jail. For instance, a young black boy was falsely accused of murdering a farmer's wife and was hanged. On his death bed, the farmer confessed to having killed his wife.
Libraries are the foundation of a democratic and inclusive society. I celebrate the welcome to all citizens of the Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL). Regardless of socio-economic and educational factors, all are invited into the sanctuaries of learning and community provided by libraries. As a child, the library was a magical castle of books of all adventures, colors, and topics. This has evolved—while the labyrinths of books still call us into their maze, banks of computers and stacks of DVDs, and programs of great topics abound too.
Anthony and I have supported the library as volunteers in the Maryland Room and as donors. When the Myersville library was being constructed, we were proud to make a donation and have a brick outside in the plaza. The library’s appreciation has been precious, and we have some great bags with FCPL’s logo to use.
Readers—consider giving, whether monetarily or time, and by attending FCPL programs.
Books Scott Loves:
- World of Watches by Sergei Lukyanenko
- Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- Foucault's Pendulum Umberto Eco
- In God's Presence: Theological Reflections on Prayer by Marjorie Suchoki
- Letter to a Man in the Fire by Reynolds Price
- Mary Oliver's books of poetry
- and anything by Wendell Berry
Authors Anthony loves:
- Noam Chomsky
- Charles de Lint
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Franz Kafka
- Bentley Little
- J. K. Rowling
- Amy Tan
Each quarter, Frederick County Public Libraries features a story from a library lover. The stories, written by our donors, share their personal accounts of what the library means to them. Are you interested in sharing your love story? Contact our FCPL Development Officer at jel-zeftawy@frederickcountymd.gov.