Media

On Saturday, the Glen Burnie Regional Library celebrates 50 years of providing media to northern Anne Arundel County.

Abby Granger said she has had the privilege of borrowing materials from the Glen Burnie branch throughout her life.

“As a kid, visiting the library was freedom - browsing and checking out books with my sister – on our own – independent of mom,” Granger said. “As a teen, the library was solace - finding the voices and stories that helped me through the usual strife in that stage of life.

“As a college student, the library was home - a beloved place after so many new adventures far away from the familiar. As an adult, the library is my part of my center - after a long week at work, I know I can find ground under my feet again by exploring a new read or revisiting an old friend.”

The building at 1010 Eastway hasn’t always been the site of Glen Burnie’s library – and the organization itself has changed throughout the years.

Originally staffed by volunteers, the Glen Burnie Free Public Library began in 1923, housed in the Masonic Lodge on Crain Highway. By 1932, the library had outgrown its walls, and the Kuethe family funded the construction of a new structure near the Masonic Lodge.

The parent organization was the Glen Burnie Free Public Library Association, and was not part of the county’s library system.

In 1953, the Anne Arundel Library System created a Glen Burnie branch, housed in Glen Burnie Junior High School within the Glen Burnie High School complex. It wasn’t long before the library set up shop in a three-bedroom Harundale home on Cotter Road.

Crowding concerns caused the closure of the Cotter house, and a lease agreement was established which made the Kuethe Library a branch of the Anne Arundel Library System.

The Kuethe Library remained in operation as an annex until 1991. The building currently houses the Anne Arundel Geological Society’s Historical and Genealogical Research Center.

In 1967, the Library System announced it would construct a branch in Harundale. Ground was broken at the Eastway Road site April 11, 1968, and the Library System spent about $650,000 to develop the branch. Its doors officially opened May 4, 1969.

Carolyn Moyer of Millersville has many memories of the library, although she still tends to call the branch by its previous name - “North County”.

Moyer said in the 1970s and 1980s, she enjoyed visiting with her preschool-aged children, who thought story time was the highlight of their week.

“At that time there were no toys – no noise,” Moyer said. “Computers and videos did not exist, of course – the library was all books, books, books.  And paintings that you could check out – the kids and I would pick out a painting every month or so, check it out and hang it in our dining room.  We loved changing the look of our house with a beautiful reproduction we had picked out together from the library walls.”

Moyer said now she brings her granddaughter, Carolyn, to story hour every week. Carolyn adores the staff – especially “Mr. Bill”. Moyer said her heart is warmed by watching her granddaughter play and interact with staff, and by the many happy memories the library has provided to her family.

“I deeply appreciate Glen Burnie Library and its role as a public space where all people, of all races, all ages, all political persuasions, all sexual orientations – all can gather with a common goal: to feed our minds and our souls with good books and with the company of the people of our community,” Moyer said.

Toni Martsoukos, a self-proclaimed bibliophile, said her mother would take the family to the Glen Burnie library when they were on the way home to Pasadena. Martsoukos said she remains a patron with many happy memories and loves the helpful staff.

“Over time, we came to rely on the knowledgeable librarians to help us find resources for school projects and later, as we got older, they were a wonderful resource for our research assignments,” Martsoukos said. “I also have been able to vote early at this branch these days which gives it yet another useful function.”

Brian Oberle is one of those librarians. He’s worked for the Library System for 27 years, and has been at Glen Burnie since 2000. As a Librarian II, he is part of the management staff, but still serves the public directly. Oberle considers it a privilege to work with the other staff members.

“I enjoy the public service – finding answers for people is its own reward for me,” Oberle said. “The people I work with are a huge motivation for me. The team here is outstanding – we all have our specialties and back each other up.”

Oberle said the evolution of the internet has brought the most obvious change to the library – technology. He said Glen Burnie now has resources that rival college libraries with premium databases, as well as wireless access, wireless printing, ADA workstations, self-checkout and technology-dependent STEM and STEAM programs.

Although the library’s population may be changing, with more senior citizens as traditional users, Oberle said teens have been recognized as a separate client base from children and adults. In addition to a teen section, the library offers a minimum of three teen programs per month – usually more.

Family attendance is strong, with many enjoying every program offered. Oberle said the library sees a substantial population who are experiencing homelessness, or who are on the verge of homelessness.

Oberle said he wishes more people understood the degree to which the library and its staff is able to meet their needs. He stressed the library is open to everyone of our diverse community, and noted there is something available for everyone.

Although the building was cutting-edge when it was constructed, Oberle said now it is dated and presents limitations such as lack of space, power and access. He is hopeful for a new building that will enable the library to continue to grow with the community.

More information on the library and its programs is available at www.aacpl.net.