Barbara Scull, who has been a librarian at the Middletown Public Library for 25 years, will retire at the end of March.

"Barbara is our cataloger, our trainer, and our historian. She has been here for so long that she is the mortar holding the building in place. She is going to be difficult to replace," said John Grayshaw, library director.

Scull grew up in Fairfax County, Va. Her parents were avid readers, and her father owned a printing business, beside which he built an addition to the town's library. Scull graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., with a degree in psychology and then attended Millersville University to obtain a master's degree in special education. She worked in the special education field for 20 years before returning to school and earning a master's degree in library science from Rutgers University.

When Scull first received her library degree, she thought she'd become a reference librarian. She was hired by the Middletown Public Library in September of 1997. "I had no idea how long I'd stay," she said with a laugh. "At the time, I just needed a full-time job. But I just wore so many hats that it never got boring, so I stayed and then I stayed some more."

Scull talked about some of her favorite responsibilities. "I really like collection development - taking chances on new authors and helping patrons find new books," she said. "And I enjoy training staff and volunteers. The educator part of me is still there." Scull noted that she has also enjoyed getting to know many people in Middletown. "Over the years I've come in contact with so many great patrons, staff, and volunteers - the list goes on and on," she said.

The library was very different 25 years ago, Scull noted, adding that the internet has been the biggest change. "When I was first here, all the students had to come in to get their information for school projects from books," she said. "We used to get reference questions to settle bar bets. We were the internet before the internet."

As one might expect, Scull's hobbies include reading, especially biographies, mysteries, and off-beat books. "I like to read beyond the bestsellers," Scull said. She added that she will miss her commute to work because she loves listening to audiobooks in the car. "I still have a CD player," she noted.

Scull also enjoys playing the guitar and singing in her folk music group, Stone Soup, and she's looking forward to having more time to putter in her yard. She's a cat person and has always had one or two. She currently has one cat named Hobbes. "Hobbes will love having my undivided attention," she said.

Scull said she is also excited about retiring because it means she will be able to travel more. "I'm going to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton in June," she noted. "I travel with my sister, and we have great fun planning out our trips. The balloon festival in New Mexico is on my bucket list." Scull said she wants to primarily travel to more places in the U.S. and Canada.

Scull said that, although she is sad to leave, she believes the library in good hands and will continue to meet the community's needs for many years to come. "Even as more people get electronic books, there will always still be a need for physical books as well," she said.

Scull has lived in Lititz since 1974, but she noted that Middletown feels like a second home. "I feel like a part of Middletown. I feel invested when I do the history or genealogy research. It's my adopted town," she explained. And she plans to continue to research the history of the Middletown Public Library during her retirement. She noted, "I want to keep that connection alive."