Morrisville enjoys a variety of birds due, in part, to its proximity to the Atlantic flyway, a key migratory route for birds along the east coast of which the lower Delaware River is a major segment. The borough, which sits just below the Falls of the Delaware, has been officially designated a Bird Town by the Audubon Society of Pennsylvania. Committed to providing a safe habitat for migratory and local birds alike, you could say Morrisville is a sanctuary for them, much like the Morrisville Library is a sanctuary for its residents.
But how well the library will function in the future is a question on everyone’s mind and one which only the borough council can answer.
Will they decide to forgo almost $40,000 in state aid or meet the requirements for funding which includes hiring a full-time head librarian? At a borough council meeting in August, Bucks County Free Library District Consultant Adam Gilbert-Cole ran down a list of options to help develop a plan going forward. Citing a finding by the Pennsylvania Library Association, he said, “For every dollar invested into a local library the return on the investment at the local level is about four dollars. So, there is that amount of redevelopment that goes into a community from investment in a local library.”
While the decision on which path the library will take hangs in the balance, some of the patrons, librarians and board members have voiced their opinions on “the pickle we’re in,” as one council member had put it in the August meeting.
The Librarians
“I was nine years old when I got my first library card. My mother said I could go there by myself for the summer, and I was so proud,” said Alexandra Napoleon who has studied psychology, education and English, and is on staff as one of five part-time librarians. When she started her job there it was only going to be a temporary thing. That was 10 years ago. “I chose to stay here because I love this community so much. Mary Beth and I handle most of the responsibilities; we are here the most hours. We’re all doing as much as we can to manage the library effectively in the absence of a library director,” she said. One of Alexandra’s favorite aspects about the building is to seeing the light filter through the stained-glass windows, ranging from “bright and vivid to soft, puddle-like watercolors.”
Peggy Gould has been a patron of the Morrisville library for almost 15 years.
After volunteering for a time, she applied for a part-time job as a circulation desk patron/customer service librarian. “I love my work at the Morrisville Library because I can impact the community and support the love of reading with our patrons.” Sometime after COVID she thought the community needed a book club. With two other avid readers she launched the club that meets once a month. Eight to 10 adults make up the core group. Her 40-year career in language and literacy was useful when she applied for and received a grant for the “Play and Grow” Summer Program. “We will engage Morrisville’s youngest readers with Storytime, Songs and Rhymes, and Active Play,” she said.
The Library Board
President Ilene Grossman-Bailey said the library has been important to her and her family since moving to the borough in 1998. “We’ve attended many programs and activities over the years and enjoyed the resources of the library. The library is a special place and a highlight of the neighborhood.”
Favorite memories include when she brought her daughter to the library as a baby in 1999 and found it to be a welcoming place. “When my daughter was a little older, she attended children’s reading, science and holiday programs, getting her first library card at the age four.” Ilene emphasized the need for a library director, saying, “Diane Hughes, the retired head librarian, made visitors feel welcomed and valued. The part-time staff continues that tradition but need support and leadership. We hope that a new head librarian will be hired soon.”
Linda Mier moved to Morrisville from Lower Makefield a few years ago. She started to use the library extensively. “It’s very welcoming. The staff know many of the patrons by name and greet people as they enter.”
“I love my work at the Morrisville Library because I can impact the community and support the love of reading with our patrons.” – Peggy Gould
Linda started volunteering at the library after retiring in 2024. She liked the services and wanted to help out, so she attended some board meetings. When she heard of an opening she threw her hat in the ring and was appointed in December. Now, as recording secretary, Linda provides an update on the library at the borough council meetings. “When the long-time librarian went on medical leave, there was no opportunity to train the library staff on the responsibilities they would be covering while waiting for her replacement. A year later, the job hasn’t been filled,” Linda said. “The staff has been learning as they go, and I personally believe they’ve made heroic effort to identify and cover the gaps while still performing their normal duties.” Linda believes that membership in the system is essential to maintain the level of service the library provides.
Theresa Rissman grew up in Levittown, but moved to Morrisville with her family in 2020. She remembers spending time at the Morrisville Library with a friend. As an adult she found the library useful for college research. “There’s something about being surrounded by such a plethora of seemingly endless knowledge has always drawn me in.” Theresa said it was a pleasure to move to Morrisville and discover the library. “My daughter was three and she fell in love with the building.” Theresa first happened upon the board position when a neighbor mentioned it to her. She’s now the vice president. “I’m in my third year now and I’ve learned so much about our community and its history and how instrumental the library is in all of it. I’m honored to have the opportunity to try to preserve our library and to try to help it thrive as much as possible.”
The Morrisville Borough Council
In 2026, Morrisville Borough increased the millage to operate the library to 4 mills ($240,000 to operate or $2.4 million over 10 years). “I grew up here. Morrisville is one of the few municipalities in Bucks County that pays for their own library,” said Helen Hlahol, the borough council president. She also noted the council is pursing grants to make long overdue improvements. “This includes painting the interior, new flooring and carpeting.” The council is also reviewing the layout to create a more inviting environment for the borough residents as well as determining the existence of lead paint in the building which will have to be addressed.
Helen remembers well her job at the library when she was 14. From the high school, she’d walk to the library and work from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Her main task was to handwrite notes on postcards to members reminding them of their overdue library books. “I’d walk home unless it was dark. Then my dad would pick me up. When I got my license, I was allowed to drive myself there.” Helen has fond memories of the librarian at the time. “Mrs. Locke was so nice to me. When I graduated from high school, she wrote a lovely note and gave me a cross necklace as a gift, which I still have.”
“For every dollar invested into a local library the return on the investment at the local level is about four dollars. So, there is that amount of redevelopment that goes into a community from investment in a local library.” – Bucks County Free Library District Consultant Adam Gilbert-Cole
As far as next steps go, Helen said the council is looking to hire a consultant at a reasonable cost who can objectively look at all the options so that we effectively use the tax money paid by borough residents.”
Deborah Colgan, a council member, elected to a four-year term in November said it matters that Morrisville library continues to get state aid. “It matters when you want to go to the library and it’s closed because you’re only open twenty hours a week,” she said.
The Programs and the Community
Many in the walkable neighborhood take advantage of being so close to the library. It is a five-minute walk for patrons Luis Herrara, her husband and their two daughters, ages three and five. “The girls love Storytime and my husband has planted banana peppers, carrots and cucumbers in our garden from Seed Share.”
When it comes to raising funds for programs, the library can count on local businesses to come through. $800 in gift cards were donated and The Winter Raffle on March 23 earned the library $1,079 to put toward summer youth programming.
According to the board’s March report, a new monthly program offered is called The Kid Librarian of the Month. Each librarian will recommend books for others to read. The premiere kid librarian is eight-year-old Olivia. Some of her book recommendations for the month of March included Nancy Clancy and Magic Tree House. Following Olivia, Lydia take the reins for April.
One recent program that was a big hit was Pokemon Fun Day. Linda Mier praised the contributors and donations by local businesses. “The event was masterminded and organized by Robyn Hirschburg.” Some of the future programs include a lecture about Robert Morris, two STEM programs led by students and a book sale.
If you like museums, Morrisville has the passes. Anyone with a Bucks County adult library card who does not owe any fines or have overdue books can checkout passes to over 20 museums. The board’s February report noted that 313 museum passes were checked out in 2025. The most recent additions to the list are Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum; Independence Seaport Museum; Penn Museum; Shofuso Japanese House & Gardens. The library features a different museum piece each week on their Facebook page.
Friends Wanted
Theresa Rissman and Peggy Gould have made an effort to start a Friends of the Library group but it’s been a slow process. “We ultimately need somebody who is driven and willing to commit their time and energy to bringing life to the group and finding participants who are equally as eager and who have vital skill sets we can utilize,” Theresa said. An upcoming event that Friends is presenting is “Family Movie Night” with free popcorn on April 18 at the library. The film is Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Come for the Books, Stay for the Seeds
In 2021, two gardening friends met for coffee to game out a plan to start a small seed library program. Today, Heather Guidice and Jean Kuhn are co-founders of the Bucks County Seed Share Program, and to date, that program has shared 30,000 packs of seeds with Bucks County gardeners. “Neither of us had any idea at that time that the project would grow as large as it has,” said Jean in an email. Both the Morrisville and Southampton Libraries host the seed drawers (a card catalogue in a previous life) and get the word out through their social media channels. At least twice a year, we hold seed sorting and packing events which draw up to 40 volunteers.” The volunteer-run community initiative provides free, open-pollinated herbs, annuals, perennials, vegetables and native plants.
60 Years: 1968 – 2028
“We have just started to plan the 60th anniversary. Some of the ideas include creating memory photo books of past events,” said Ilene. “We’ll reach out to the clubs and organizations who have supported the library including the scout troops who helped move the books. Morrisville Women’s Club was instrumental in supporting the library and researching its history.”
The celebration will mark the 60-year span between the time the library moved to its permanent home at 300 N. Pennsylvania Ave in 1968 to the present. After purchasing the stone edifice from the Church of the Incarnation, the library, that had begun in the front parlor of Mrs. Bertha Peasey’s home in 1904, was moved from the basement of historic Summerseat to the corner of Pennsylvania and Palmer.
The Garden
“There are currently 103 Bird Towns in the program with the goal to create a healthier, more sustainable environment for birds, wildlife and people,” said Annie Millionus, Penn State Master Gardner who planted the award-winning garden outside the library entrance. “Some of the plants came from divisions, some were donated and others purchased at Bowman Hill Wildflower Preserve. The plan was to remove invasive species and add native plants back into the landscape to help support pollinators, butterflies and birds.”
Over the years, Annie has helped support the library any way she can “to make certain the library stays vibrant and open. A public library is an incredible place—it is the epicenter and holder of knowledge in a community,” she said. “It provides all sorts of vital services and, in our case, it also provides access to fresh food or native plants from seeds provided by the seed share housed there.”
A Good Investment That Needs Support
During the August meeting, when asked by council what forgoing the state air look like, Adam noted that non-funded libraries are “often open less convenient hours, their collections are not as big for browsing, they don’t have as many computers for those who do job searching,” he said. “There’s that certain something that a local library brings to a community that you can’t really discount.”
The Library Board is holding a meeting April 13 at 7 p.m. which is open to the public. Ilene invites those interested or concerned to speak out.
“I also strongly encourage Morrisville residents to contact their council representatives and ask them to support the library and ask the borough manager to hire a new librarian,” she said. “The next meeting of the borough council April 21 at p 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.”
