Monroe Lending Library began as grassroots effort

Sells, 77, has served as the president of the Monroe Lending Library board since it formed.

The group was unable to secure funding from the Middletown Public Library since there were no funds available to assist them in opening a library, she said.

“Even after we got started and went through and got our corporation paraphernalia from the state, and our state certificates, we still wrote a letter to Middletown. They said, again, they couldn’t help us due to cuts in library funding,” said Sells who was employed at the time as a media technician at D. Russel Lee County Vocational School.

“We even went as far as asking Lane (Public) Library and Lebanon (Public) Library, and we’re out of their district. We thought maybe because a little bit of Monroe is in Warren County, they could help.”

That idea also didn’t work, she said.

The residents formed a seven-member, informal volunteer board that included Norm Hayes, Peggy Hasson, Suzi Rubin, Joyce Tannreuther, Mary Maurer, Seth Johnston and Sells. Sells, who has lived in Monroe since 1966, was selected to serve as president of the group.

“We all said, just like our school system, if you won’t help us, we help ourselves. They were all very helpful in contributing,” Sells said.

The board worked out an agreement with the school district to house the library in a modular unit behind what is known today as Monroe Primary on Macready Avenue.

“At the time, the school wasn’t using it, so they allowed us to use that modular. We knew that our time was limited there too, because of the number of students. They’ll probably be using it, maybe even next year, so we’re getting out at a good time,” she said.

The library is scheduled to conduct a grand opening in August at a new facility — that it will share with a community center — at 6 East Ave. The building previously was occupied by the former Davita Monroe Dialysis.

“We’re all excited about that,” Sells said.

Rubin said if it was not for Sells, Monroe would not have a community library today.

“She really took the reins and turn it into what it is today. She had the library experience and the will to get it done,” she said.