Nine decades of warm library tales

The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County has played a very important part in my nonagenarian lifetime, starting during the Great Depression year of 1930, when I was 6 years old. A beautiful new building was dedicated at that time on Youngstown’s East Side at 6 N. Jackson St. I lived at 38 N. Jackson St., just several houses from the library, which I considered my second home.

I can recall going to the library daily. It was warm in there compared to my basement living quarters, where I spent most of my time. I sat at the same library table each time; it was the magazine section. I could have been called a magazine worm rather than a book worm. My favorite magazines were National Geographic, Popular Science and Life. These magazines supplemented my public school education at Lincoln Elementary and East High School. These magazines were both interesting and educational.

SELF-EDUCATED AT LIBRARY

Webster’s dictionary defines knowledge as an information of facts. In the old days, many people were self-educated by reading books in a specific field. As a result, you could become proficient in it.

Finally, while attending Youngstown College, now Youngstown State University, under the GI Bill just after World War II, graduating in 1951, my main study hall was the main library building near YSU. For my entire four years of college, many of the librarians became my friends and their help was invaluable. Even today, I regularly use the information services division of the library.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.