What was once a storage room at the Stoltzfus family farm in Gap has been transformed into a Christian library by Sam Stoltzfus, who established the library in 2015 as a way to honor God and share his love of reading with the community.

The Stoltzfus Christian Library, located at 5809 Limeville Road, Gap, offers more than 4,500 family-friendly books covering topics such as Anabaptist history and biblical subjects, along with cookbooks and books about gardening, landscaping, home repair, nature, health and more.

Like with a public library, patrons are provided with a library card, which allows them to check out books from the library for a period of three weeks, with the option to renew the item for an additional three weeks. Books can be renewed in person, by voicemail or online.

Stoltzfus got the idea to create the library while recovering from serious injuries that occurred during a 2014 construction accident when he was pinned under a 3,000-pound excavator. "My first thought was that I was going to die. My second thought was, 'Am I ready to die?'" he shared. "Suddenly there was peace that washed over me, and I felt God's presence closer than ever before. I cried out, 'God, help me,' and right as I said that, the machine that was on my back counterbalanced and rolled back over on its side. If it would have stayed on me, I would not be here to tell the story."

Stoltzfus had collapsed lungs and a broken femur, among other injuries. "That was a wakeup call in my life," he said. "During my recovery time, I was thinking about what I could do (to honor God). I thought of a library. Growing up, I was a serious bookworm, and I just love reading."

Stoltzfus and his family members remodeled the storage room, adding electricity, heating and air conditioning, paneling, flooring and bookshelves, which they purchased from a local woodworking shop. Stoltzfus also purchased a state-of-the-art barcode and scanning system to allow people to check out their own books.

At first, the library was filled with books from the family's personal library along with some purchased books. "We started out low-key. We started with 1,600 items. We were feeling out (if there was) a need in the community," said Stoltzfus.

That question was soon answered when a library grand opening was held on March 14, 2015. "I was thinking we would have about 50 or so people show up," said Stoltzfus. "On our grand opening, we had over 200 people. Literally, by the end of the day, the bookshelves were basically wiped out."

Today, books are sorted and color-coded in 15 categories, including children's and preschool Christian books, Bible/bedtime stories and history and geography. The library also features a reading area with a scenic view of the surrounding farmland. Patrons may also purchase snacks and beverages to enjoy while reading.

The Stoltzfus Christian Library is open on Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 717-672-1587 or visit http://www.stoltzfuschristianlibrary.org.