By Sarah Lester

As you honor those who served in the U.S. military this Veterans Day, your thoughts likely won’t turn to your local library.

Perhaps they should.

In leading the Maplewood Memorial Library – and as a military parent – I very much understand the vital lessons these institutions share. I also recognize those lessons aren’t necessarily intuitive.

In fact, most residents in my town likely don’t know why the word “Memorial” appears in our library’s name. Although the library was founded in 1913, it received the “Memorial” designation in 1956 as a living tribute to the Maplewood residents who served their country and to the memory of those who gave their lives.

The 1956 dedication plaque reads: “This library has been erected by the citizens of Maplewood with the hope that

See Full Page