ANNVILLE - Mrs. George Struble, who has served as president of the Annville Free Library Association for 33 years, was honored at the association's annual meeting in the library last evening. The librarians, board and trustees presented her with an oil painting of the library by Dan Steiner and a certificate lettered by Mrs. Richard Harris citing her many years of outstanding service to the people of Annville in organizing and , guiding the library.
The library began in 1939 as a cooperative book club for eight Annville children. Mrs. Struble found more books were available and in a few months had received 125 of them. A librarian agreed to catalogue them, and a corner of Jeanette's Gift Shop in the center of Annville became the first library. Then the library was moved to the Strubles' garage while Mrs-. Struble looked for another location. Her appeal was heard by Mr. and Mrs. Gideon R. Kreider, Jr. and Mrs. Paul Kreider of Annville. Kreider gave the library space in a building on North White Oak Street which was owned by the Annville Water Company. It was decided, as the library grew, that an organization was needed, and on Jan. 23, 1941, the Annville Free -Library Association was organized. There were twenty-one charter members.
Officers elected were Mrs. Struble, president; Miss Esther Shenk, vice-president; The Rev. El wood Dyson, secretary-treasurer. At a later meeting Mrs. J. Gordon Starr was chosen to serve as secretary. Seven Board members were elected: Dr. H. H. Shenk, J. Gordon Starr, Mrs. P. A. W. Wallace, Mrs. Paul Kreider, Mrs. Oscar Light, Mrs. Paul Wagner and Miss Elizabeth Marshall. The following month Mrs. John Saylor headed the first, house to house membership drive which netted $125. Adult books were added to the library and at the end of 1941 there were 1,086 books in circulation. Miss Helen Ethel Myers, the librarian at Lebanon Valley College, gave valuable assistance in setting up the system of cataloguing the books.
When the library grew larger than the building which housed it, Kreider located another place at 20 E. Main St. in what had been Kiebler's Barber Shop. After considerable renovations the move was made on Oct. 11,1943. With the new location the circulation of books soon doubled, but eight months later the building was sold and the library had to be moved again this time to the basement of John McClure's home next door. It remained there for the next five years. Kreider bought a property at Main and Killinger Streets and had plans drawn up for a colonial type building which was to become a permanent home for Annville's library. The building was completed in January 1950. The Kreiders would not allow the building to be named for them. Inside, by the west fireplace, is a simple plaque reading, "This building is given to Annville by Alice and Gideon Kreider, 1949." Open House Day was held Feb. 2,1950.
In 1969 the Jaycees of Annville and Cleona honored Mrs. Struble with the community service award for her distinguished achievement in guiding the growth of the library. Her husband, Dr. George G. Struble, head of the English Department at Lebanon Valley College until his retirement in 1970, also was active in working for the library since it began. Two years ago Kreider stepped down as president of the library trustees, though he retains a keen interest in the success of the library and the efforts of the trustees of the building. Last evening Mrs. Struble asked to be relieved of the office as president of the library board.
Lebanon Daily News - Friday, April 5, 1974