New Baltimore's First Librarian Dies at Age 101

Marie Marsh, New Baltimore's first and longest-serving librarian, passed away Tuesday afternoon at the age of 101, according to staff.

Marsh served as librarian from 1941 to 1982 and was an avid reader even after she turned 100 on June 20, 2010. She died on the same day her library card expired, reference and teen librarian Mary Jo Berenak said Wednesday.

The library staff said it was saddened by her passing, saying her influence on the community and library was great. Her granddaughter, Katie Ulman, also worked for several years there as a library page, Berenak said.

According to the library's history on its website:

"In late 1940, a group of concerned citizens of the Catholic Study Club met to consider the establishment of a library, concluding the undertaking was too large. Word of the meeting spread to long-time community leader E. Leigh Skinner, however, who spearheaded the challenge. By March, 1941, Skinner had rounded up support from local organizations, churches and city officials to go forward. Skinner tapped the area’s resources and gave this 'think tank' a mission: collect enough books and money from the community to establish a fledgling collection.

"Marie Marsh, New Baltimore's first library director, went door-to-door collecting books to start the collection. It was thought that with a head start on books and funds, it would be easier to ask the city to donate a place for the library. In today’s dollars, the amount they collected in pre-war money ($300) sounds absurdly small, but then it totaled enough to approach the city to make the idea of a public library a reality."

Under her lengthy tenure, Marsh oversaw tremendous growth at the library, including remodeling projects and collection expansions, the history states.

The library staff said the longtime New Baltimore resident is survived by family members who also live in the area. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known Wednesday.