The Mifflin County Library in Lewistown reopened March 3, 2025 after completion of phase one of the renovation project. Pictured are, from left, Mifflin County Commissioner Noah Wise, Mifflin County Commissioner Robert Postal, Plant Manager Lonnie Griffith, Mifflin County Commissioner Kevin Kodish, Board Member Jess Nail, Mifflin County Library Executive Director Susan Miriello, Board President Roxie Garrett, Assistant Director Shelly Sweigart, Erin Ross, Children's Librarian Kelly Rodenbaugh, Board Member Tim Dunmire, Mary Rieffannacht, Cheryl Yarrish, Kelly Phillips, Shirley Fetters, Chris Wilt and Board Member Mary Ann Stratton. (Submitted photo)

LEWISTOWN – In a world that moves fast and forgets easily, the Mifflin County Library remains a place where quiet acts of patriotism unfold every day. At the heart of that calm purpose is Executive Director Susan Miriello, a woman who believes a library’s mission goes far beyond books.

“When I started working here, I was the children’s librarian,” she said. “I did story time all the time. But it’s not just one person; it’s all the staff, and then to have a good board that encourages everybody in the library business to view the library as books and so much more.”

The phrase “so much more” comes up often when she talks about the library. For Miriello, the building on North Wayne Street isn’t simply a collection of shelves and catalog numbers. It’s a promise, a place where anyone, regardless of age, wealth, or background, can walk through the doors and feel ownership of knowledge.

“Mifflin County is very fortunate that we have a county government that understands how important libraries are,” she said. “Libraries give access to everybody, whether you are black or white, rich or poor, young or old. We give free, equal access to books for everybody.”

In her view, that’s a civic act in itself, a quiet form of patriotism built on inclusion rather than display. The American flag may hang outside, but inside, patriotism shows up as open Wi-Fi, free audiobooks, and a place for conversation.

“In the 21st century, it’s paper books, but also digital books,” she said. “A lot of people commute, especially in our area, so an audiobook is wonderful to have. Books are just so expensive anymore.”

When the library closed for eight months during renovations in 2024, Miriello and her staff drew on their pandemic experience. They brought back the outdoor locker system, promoted the Kish Branch Library in Belleville, and kept the community connected to reading.

“We really hustled to get people their books,” she said. “I never expected renovations to be like this. I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s every librarian’s dream to have someone design the circulation desk to your own specifications.”

The newly renovated library now gleams with more light and better design, but what excites her most isn’t the building; it’s the renewed sense of purpose.

“It’s so nice that county government wants library service to remain in the future,” she said. “We were open to expanding our role in the community. We’ll be the Mifflin County Library at the Mifflin County Learning Center, and we’ll have Penn State Extension with us. We were totally open to that partnership.”

That partnership, she believes, will pull even more residents back through the doors. The COVID years changed reading habits, but she’s starting to see them return. “People didn’t come back the way they had,” she said. “But with all of this, it’s brought many people back to the library.”

Miriello emphasized the library will stay open during Phase 2 of the renovations.

Miriello’s definition of patriotism fits perfectly within that framework. It’s not loud or ceremonial. It’s quiet, inclusive, and rooted in the idea that freedom starts with access to ideas.

“We don’t censor,” she said. “We’re a popular materials library. If it’s trending on TikTok, we’ll probably buy the book. Now we do have a limited budget, but if it’s on the New York Times bestseller list, we’ll buy it, whether it’s controversial or not. That’s our role. You don’t have to read it. You may not like it. But it’s not really up to you what I read.”

That freedom of choice, she believes, is one of the purest expressions of democracy.

“The public library can do that, where maybe a school library or another type of library can’t,” she said.

For Miriello, patriotism also means equality of access. The library recently received a Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority grant to provide laptops and internet access to the public.

“You don’t need a library card,” she said. “You can come in and get on the internet for free. Or you can come in with your own device and use our Wi-Fi for free. Some people can afford it, and a lot of people can’t. The internet can be expensive, and we provide it for everybody for free.”

That commitment to access extends to literacy itself. “You can’t do anything without knowing how to read,” she said. “Probably the most important person from 1000 AD to now was Gutenberg for creating the printing press, where words were available to everybody.”

While the Mifflin County Library doesn’t directly teach reading, it connects residents with programs like CareerLink’s adult literacy and ESL classes. “If you need help as an adult, we know where to send you,” she said. “We partner with CareerLink on different activities.”

Her joy, though, comes from the smallest moments, the kind that never make headlines.

“We love it when the little kids come in,” she said. “They come in, they’re noisy, they’re excited, they either want to get on the elevator and go down or run down the steps.”

She smiled, describing the children’s section, which now feels larger and brighter after the renovation. “It looks bigger, more inviting with the raised ceilings, the windows, the funky carpet, and the new bookcases,” she said. “We’ve gotten grants for STEM activities, so we have all these tools and toys that a lot of kids don’t have at home. I love it when the little kids come in, and they’re excited to be here.”

The library serves the young and the old. “We have a lot of senior citizens that come because there’s really nothing on TV,” she said. “They can’t afford the expanded cable, and the library is their entertainment.”

Programs like Creative Minds, a series featuring local authors, have drawn strong interest. “People like to come to that,” she said. “We had our first Zoom visit with an author. People loved it.”

For Miriello, every returning reader, every curious child, every elderly visitor finding company in a book is a small act of national grace. Patriotism, she said, lives in those quiet exchanges between people and pages.

“My overall goal is to have the library here for the next 50 years,” she said. “I gained it from Mrs. Stuck and Miss Elder, who had their old tiny building on Water Street, and the books were just stacked everywhere because they didn’t have enough room. They planned with the commissioners. They planned with the community. They got this building built for us 50 years later. So that’s what we want, the commissioners, the board, and our staff. We want this to be here for the next 50 years.”

She paused for a moment before adding what might be the truest statement of her kind of patriotism.

“It’s not all me,” she said. “It’s all of us.”