Every time you use a book drop or walk past it, think about this: It must be emptied regularly.  

At East Shore Area Library on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, that’s Barb Ewell’s job. She is one of 110 dedicated Dauphin County Library System volunteers, making sure that their Library is an organized and welcoming place.  

“Every hour, those book drops have to be cleaned out,” Barb said. “I might get 100 or more books each hour.” 

When Ewell retired from a career as a medical assistant, she decided that volunteering for the Library would be a good fit. In her role, she gets to see new book releases, and her husband can borrow jigsaw puzzles – one of The Library’s lesser-known offerings. 

“I love it because I love books,” she said. 

What do you like to read?

Everything. Biographies are my biggest thing. I also like historical fiction because a lot of that is based on history. And I read some mysteries. 

What are you reading right now?

Canary Girls, by Jennifer Chiaverini. It’s set in World War I, when all the men went off to fight. This takes place in England, where women work in the munitions factories. They’re putting TNT in the shells, which turns their hair and skin yellow, and they also started a soccer league. I’m also reading Magic Season, by Wade Rouse. It’s a memoir about a young man whose father is dying from Alzheimer’s, and they bond over baseball. I just love all these nonfiction and historical books.   

What do you love about The Library?

It’s wonderful. One of my big things since I retired is reading. Back then, you thought everything was going to be online, but you know what? You don’t need all those programs for reading because there are so many books out there. They never end.