The Wagnalls Memorial Library (Lithopolis)

Over the years I’ve read various articles about this privately owned library in Lithopolis, a small village of about 1,600 people just 15 or so miles southeast of downtown Columbus. So I was really looking forward to visiting it yesterday on my way to a Presbytery meeting in Logan, OH, where my recent retirement was to be recognized.

Wagnalls Memorial did not disappoint. This is an AMAZING library!

The stone Tudor-Gothic structure on E. Columbus St. is quite striking and looks like it could be a church—especially the tower and the peaked roof of the original portion of the building that dates to 1925. The library along with an endowment to provide support were given to Lithopolis by Mabel Wagnalls Jones in memory of her parents, Adam & Anna Willis Wagnalls, who were both born in log cabins there. (Adam was the co-founder of Funk & Wagnalls publishers, and Mabel was an author and concert pianist.) Additions in 1983 and 1992 extended the building to the southeast and maintained the stone Tudor-Gothic style.

As I entered the library from a brick patio area, I was struck by the long corridor that extends from the addition to the original library room. To the right are stacks and the patron services desk, and to the left the Rager Reading Room with Mabel’s favorite Steinway piano from her Long Island home. I proceeded to wander the library exploring for about 30 minutes, but would eventually settle in the wingback chair you can see by the  large window of the Rager Reading Room to do some reading for an hour or so.

There is so much to see, including two original Norman Rockwell paintings on display as well as art and memorabilia from the Funk & Wagnalls publishing business. But one of the first things that caught my eye was a sign pointing the way to the Children’s Library in the lower level. I headed downstairs to see it and found a very busy story time in progress with 8-10 mothers and many children. The photo below doesn’t do the space justice, but I wanted to avoid any photos with identifiable children.

I’d read about the 300-seat auditorium that was part of the original library, so that was next. I was particularly interested in seeing the display of photos and letters famous people (including Harry Houdini) had sent to Mabel. And I really wanted to see the original wooden seats that have a special rack below the seat designed to store men’s top hats.

In the foyer outside the auditorium there are numerous paintings by John Ward Dunsmore along with a large memorial dedication plaque.

From there I stepped back into the original library room, where volunteers were putting up holiday decorations. The room itself is a work of art. There are stained glass inserts in the large window, and all along the upper walls are sculpted grape vines with bunches of grapes and numerous shields setting off the ceiling beams and the chandeliers. A portrait of Mabel Wagnalls Jones is high on the end wall.

Heading back to the Rager Reading Room to read, I couldn’t help but wonder where this arched door (below) might lead. I understand that the library includes a banquet hall, a fully functional kitchen, and a garden outside with pathways and rock sculpture. The tower contains poems by Edwin Markham in his own handwriting, but it was locked.

I settled into a wingback chair by the large window for some reading time. Looking up I could see the ceiling beams, the chandeliers, and the window to the second floor (which is used for special events.) A very friendly library volunteer took the photo of me reading. I explained my retirement project of visiting libraries, and she shared that she was a retired librarian from New York City. She never expected to find anything like this library in a small village like Lithopolis, and she loves volunteering in it.

 


When it came time to leave, I had a wonderful conversation with the librarian at the desk. I shared about my retirement library visits and blog, and she shared some additional things about the library and the village.

Given that I’d recently read an article about the maintenance needs of the library and the difficulties of a much reduced endowment after the financial crisis of 2008, I’d already decided not to check out a book. Instead I’d purchase something from the Friend’s of the Library sales shelves. After 18 years in the 1916 Gothic revival style stone building at Indianola Presbyterian Church, I know full well how maintenance needs of such building are enormous as well as endless. I ended up picking out two books from my Amazon Wish List as well as an audio book—all to support a very good cause. (Years ago, my children used to laugh at me when I’d take them to the main library downtown and they’d check out dozens of books while I’d end up buying books from the Friends of the Library store.)

I will definitely be revisiting this library!

Despite the cold and snowy day, I had thoroughly enjoyed the drive through the country to get to Lithopolis, so I headed for Logan on country roads, trusting in my GPS. I’d hoped to stop for lunch at a Sandy Sue’s Silver Diner along US-33 at Rockbridge, but it was closed. I ended up having lunch (as well as dinner with a good friend that evening) at the Millstone Southern Smoked BBQ restaurant on the northwest side of Logan. Both the brisket and the smoked turkey were quite good, and the baked beans were excellent.

All in all it was a great day… and my favorite library so far!

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For more information and additional photos of The Wagnalls Memorial Library, check out their website at https://wagnalls.org  While privately owned, the library does receive some funding from the State of Ohio and is a partner library with the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Note: I’ve included more photos than usual this time, and some of them may seem small. To enlarge any photo, simply click on it.