Renovated Rothrock library opens new chapter
Volunteer-led improvements refresh McVeytown landmark
Submitted photo<br> Decorations from a previous summer reading program brighten the children’s library.
Submitted photo<br> The library’s craft room is prepared for story hour activities.
Submitted photo<br> A butterfly garden sits adjacent to the library.
Submitted photo<br> Decorations from a previous summer reading program brighten the children’s library.
Submitted photo<br> The library’s craft room is prepared for story hour activities.
Submitted photo<br> A butterfly garden sits adjacent to the library.
Trending
McVEYTOWN -- For generations, small-town libraries have been more than places to borrow books. They have served as gathering spaces, quiet refuges and centers of community life where neighbors meet, children discover their first favorite stories and volunteers lend their time to preserve a shared resource for future generations.
In McVeytown, that tradition lives on through the Rothrock Community Library, a volunteer-run institution that has become a fixture of the Juniata River Valley. This year, as communities across the country celebrated the United States Semiquincentennial, the library marked a milestone of its own with the completion of extensive renovations to its main library room.
Located inside the McVeytown Borough Building at 10 N. Queen St., the library draws patrons from throughout central Pennsylvania and remains a testament to what a dedicated community can accomplish. Supported by volunteers, McVeytown Borough and Mifflin County, the library has undergone a steady transformation over the last several years as workers and volunteers sought to make better use of the available space while preserving its welcoming atmosphere.
"Over the last few years, the library has been renovated and refurbished by McVeytown Borough Council members, maintenance department and librarians to better use the space available," said Matthew Stringer, of maintenance, and one of the leads on the renovation project. "These upgrades have included the installation of handicapped restrooms, as well as newly designated spaces for a children's library, craft room and comfortable reading room."
Renovating the main library room, however, proved to be the largest and most ambitious project yet.
Before work could begin, nearly everything inside had to be carefully packed away. Books, computers and furniture were organized into labeled boxes, while shelving units were dismantled and prepared for storage.
The library's contents were safely housed in a dry 24-foot rental truck throughout the renovation process. Once the room was cleared, contractors stepped in to replace aging carpet and repaint the walls. Borough maintenance staff worked alongside contractors to level portions of the floor, which had settled over the years under the weight of thousands of books.
Borough workers also upgraded lighting, installed new window blinds and replaced bookshelf wall attachments. When construction was completed, contractors, borough council members and maintenance workers joined forces once again to reassemble, level and secure the shelving.
The final stage was perhaps the most painstaking of all: returning nearly 6,000 books to their proper locations, exactly where they had sat before the remodeling began.
"These renovations will allow the Rothrock Community Library to continue serving the central Pennsylvania area and beyond," Stringer said.
The completed project has refreshed the library while preserving the character and sense of community that have made it a valued local resource for generations.
Visitors today will find a diverse collection of fiction and nonfiction titles, popular young adult literature, a children's library and an extensive assortment of puzzles. Rotating displays from the
McVeytown Museum offers glimpses into local history, while the second-floor reading room features a historic bookcase once owned by the family of Pennsylvania Canal contractor Casper Dull and now on continuous loan from the Mifflin County Historical Society.
The library's growth has extended beyond its physical space. Since its reopening as the Rothrock Community Library in 2015 under the leadership of former Mifflin County School District librarian Deb Himes, it has evolved into a multigenerational community gathering place supported by volunteers ranging from retirees to high school students.
That spirit of community is on full display this summer through the library's "Stars, Stripes, and Stories" reading program, which celebrates America's 250th anniversary. Students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are invited to track their reading and earn prizes while participating in the Semiquincentennial-themed program.
The children's library also hosts quarterly story hours and craft activities. Outside, visitors can enjoy the butterfly garden, stop by the adjacent mural and greet "Trimble," the painted goose sculpture installed during Rothrock Week 2026. Part of Community Partnerships RC&D's Wild Geese: Flock Together public art project, the sculpture honors McVeytown native and Pennsylvania forestry pioneer Dr. Joseph Trimble Rothrock.
As the nation reflects on 250 years of history, the newly renovated Rothrock Community Library stands as a reminder that local institutions tell important stories of their own -- stories of volunteers, neighbors and community members who continue investing in a place dedicated to learning, connection and discovery for future generations.
The library is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.