"I love this community and I especially love this Library. We hear a lot about Homewood on the 6 and 11 o'clock News, but rarely will you find a story that shines a positive light on the assets of this neighborhood - and there are many, the Library being one of them!

"My love for books and reading started right here, and every time I visit these days (which is almost every day), I can see children entering with the same love and excitement for the Library that I had so many years ago.

"Books are a child's first passport. As a child I didn't go many places outside of Pittsburgh, but believe me, I took trips all over the world through my books. If a child opens the pages of a book, immediately they are off to a new place, on a new adventure and that is the magic of reading and the importance of literacy. I know for me, as a child, it helped me see that the world was bigger than my small little space in it, if I could just imagine, believe and dream a bigger dream for myself.

"Books give you access, and that is why I know that we cannot have communities without libraries. They are to be protected and honored.

"This Library is more than a place that houses books. It is in many ways the heartbeat of this community. It is a community center, a resource hub and the place that you come to get your passport stamped over and over again."