I wish I could put into words the feeling that overwhelmed me as a child when I walked into the downtown library. I can almost call it up now. Part of it was the smell, part of it the size, part because even though I was a child on my own, adults were going to trust me to take anything I wanted from a universe of possibilities. It made me feel smarter, more grown up—truly respected. Was this how it felt to be an adult?
Those visits to the George Latimer Central Library shaped nearly every aspect of the person I became. Science fiction excited my curiosity; I fell in love with the outdoors reading Dietrich Lange’s novels; as I devoured biographies of heroes like Sitting Bull, history became my passion. I’m afraid that even my leadership skills were informed by Dr. Seuss’s If I Ran the Zoo. My lifelong love affair with books began in this library.
A great city like St. Paul needs a great library system, and a great library needs an exceptional degree of support, and that support comes from an extraordinary Friends group. I am proud to play a small part in making this happen.
Pat Coleman
Friends Loyalty Circle member (donors who have made generous gifts to The Friends for 10+ consecutive years)
When you become a Friend, you strengthen the Library. You connect people to ideas, information, and each other. This is how lives change. This is how our communities get stronger. CLICK HERE to become a Friend today.
