Walworth-Seely Public Library: Martin

Walworth-Seely Public Library : Our Gateway to Knowledge
Rev. Mary S. Martin

Do you remember Mary Martin? No, no, I don’t mean the Peter Pan one. I mean Mary (Simpson) Martin, who was the Director of the Walworth-Seely Public Library.
Mary’s first term as our Library Director was from September, 1969 to June, 1970. Her second term was from May, 1971 to June, 1972. The clerk at that time was Marty Davis, who later also became our Library Director.
“I’ll never forget it,” Mary chuckled. “I started to work on my 30th birthday, September 12th.”
At the time, she had two girls in school and a little boy at home, so the paid, part-time employment was perfect for her. Although she did not have a degree in Library Science, she’d attended SUNY for a year in that field.
“Lorraine Finley took me to my first Book Meeting,” Mary reminisced. “It was in Canandaigua
and I was terribly embarrassed. Not by Lorraine or the book meeting, but by the many signs someone (I think Barb Mann) put up announcing to the world that it was my birthday.”
Mary found the book meetings were very informative and helpful in aiding her to know which books to order for our library. The meetings were held in various locations and experienced librarians would give book reviews and suggestions about which books to purchase for a library our size. She was also guided in her purchase selections by knowing the folks who came into the library and what they liked to read.
“The circulation of mystery stories was high,”
Mary remembered. “Other popular genres were what today is called Romance Novels, but what I’d call beach novels. Historical novels were also popular at the time.
“I learned so much while I was working at the library,” Mary commented. “I of course learned a lot about how a library functions, but I learned about myself, too. It broadened my horizons. I also enjoyed doing the Children’s Story Hour.”
Mary’s young son often attended the story hour and benefited from the way she enhanced the children’s books with puppets, finger-plays, lively songs, and catchy rhiming phrases. She also utilized the only multi-media aids on hand (besides the telephone): an old film-strip projector and movie projector.
Many folks might remember Mary for the pink, polyester pants suit she favored to wear to work in the library. (Polyester was “IN” back then, you know.) In an effort to keep the pink pink when she worked in the stacks, she’d put on an apron, but would forget to take it off as patrons came in to greet her and exchange books. During the coldest winter months, she favored warm knees socks to ward off the freezing temperatures in the old building.
One of Mary’s vivid memories of being the Library Director and living in Walworth was the Walworth Street Dance, when it was actually held on Main Street. The dunking booth was in front of Youngman’s and, when she got on the hot seat, word spread like wild fire and folks lined up to dunk the librarian.
“In all, I lived in Walworth for 17-years,” Mary said. “It was a good place to raise children. My goal while I worked in the library was to keep it growing, evolving, and to keep people interested in reading.”
Eventually, Mary earned a degree in English Literature and later a Master’s Degree in Divinity to become a United Methodist Minister. Many of the puppet plays she used during her Children’s Story Hours, became the basis for numerous children’s sermons in her Ellicottville church.
She retained her maiden name of Martin for professional purposes; however, she has been happily married to George Aberle for the past 21-years. She is currently retired and living in Henrietta.
Thank you, Rev. Mary (Simpson) Martin, for having been a Walworthian with the accent on worth and being a part of what makes the Walworth-Seely Public Library our gateway to knowledge.
(SOURCE: telephone interview with Rev. Mary Martin by Kate Chamberlin, Wed.,Aug29-07)
“I was there at the right time, But, no, I did not have a vision of the great and wonderful place (Walworth-Seely Public Library) that you now have…It’s fine to start something, but you’ve got to have someone there that can take off with it. You people have done a great, great job. You deserve just as much credit as anybody else. So, thank you to YOU.” Quoted from Lorraine Finley’s Thank you speech for being chosen as the Walworth Historical Society’s Community Citizen of the year; presented May21-07.