By Chris Barber
Contributing Writer

Library director David Payne and his staff will celebrate the Avon Grove Library’s 150th birthday on Nov. 16 with magic, lectures, cupcakes, a ceremony of celebrities and a train photo show. The public is invited to the open house to mark the occasion.

The institution that began with 50 books in a hardware store in 1874 has grown into a service provider that welcomes all members of the community and continually upgrades the variety of its programs.

Payne said he was especially interested in bringing in two magicians to perform on that day because the knowledge of magic is so prominently learned and passed on in books.

Magician Mike Rose will present his show at 11 a.m. with the theme, “The Magic of the Book.”

Later at 1:30 p.m., magician and author Mike Rose with perform his tricks and lecture for a more mature audience at his show, “The History of the Mystery.”

There will be a family story time about birthdays at 10 a.m. and it will be followed in short order at 11 a.m. by Rose’s show.

At noon, local officials will be on hand to issue citations and offer congratulations.

Throughout the current season, Payne has invited several local authors to visit and speak about the subjects of their books.

Jenn Walsh is the author of 12 historical books and will talk about the where, when and why of her stories on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.

On Nov. 18, Dianne Salerni, the author of young-adult and middle-grade fiction, will present “Dare to Begin” at 6 p.m. She will discuss various methods of beginning a story and her experiences as an author.

On Jan. 25 at 1 p.m., children’s non-fiction author Annette Whipple will discuss her books and lead a trivia game with patrons.

Inasmuch as the library sits side-by-side with the tracks of the East Penn Railroad, the computer room is covered with walls full of photos of those trains that pass by. They will be on display until the end of November.

The Public Library of West Grove began in 1874 when Sara Conard, an owner of Conard and Pyle Nurseries, established a library of 50 books in the nursery hardware store.

Throughout history the book collection made several location changes, including to the borough school, to Frank Houston’s Drug Store and to the second floor of the National Bank.

Between 1999 and 2000 the capital campaign raised money for what is is now the Avon Grove Library. That building also serves as police station and borough administration site. It opened in 2003.

Payne said he is proud of the services the library provides as it keeps up with modern technology.

Among its offerings are video cassettes, audio tapes, and network technology incorporated into individualized tablets that can combine the written word with activities and projects for youth.

“We work with the community—all ages and all needs, including the needs of minority residents,” he said.

The library is free to users and is located at 11 Exchange Place in West Grove.