Residents of the Rose Hill community gathered on Saturday, April 22 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of John Marshall Library. Throughout the day, visitors were treated to presentations on the history of the library and surrounding community as well as a musical performance from Haywood Middle School students, accompanied by refreshments and giveaways commemorating the day.  

The establishment of the library was a united community effort, one of the “fruits of what people can do when they put their shoulders to the wheel,” said Carl Sell, president of the Franconia Museum board of directors during a presentation about the early days of Rose Hill.  

In the six decades since its founding, the library and its staff have returned the favor, providing resources and services to everyone who has walked through its doors. 

“This library is a staple of the community,” said Keith Foxx, who represents the Franconia District in which the John Marshall branch is located on the FCPL Board of Trustees. “Having been here for 60 years, it is such an integral part of Rose Hill and I am happy it means so much to so many people.”  

The day’s guests included community members of all ages, many of whom expressed their gratitude for the library. “We enjoy having a library so close to our house and having great programs for our kids to attend,” said Amy Yang, who attended the event with her young daughter. “The library has been around here for a long time, and this is a great event to celebrate that.” 

Carol Falkofske, who joined her sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren at the event, applauded the library for growing with the changing times, yet remaining a haven for those still seeking out physical copies of books to read. “I think there was a great human cry that we were going to lose libraries when everything moved toward technology, but as you can see my grandkids are here reading so I am very happy to see there is still a great use for libraries and the written word. Even more so with the introduction of modern technology. It’s been a really good thing.” 

In describing the joyous the atmosphere of the celebration, John Marshall Branch Manager Ivelisse Figueroa-Gonzales said that it all comes down to the relationship between the library and its community. “We have a strong bond with our patrons,” she said. “As we celebrate our past today, we also look forward to continuing serving and supporting our vibrant community for many years to come.”