Jan 6, 2020 2 min read

Citizens Library ‘all-star’ will be missed

Your Dec. 30 front page was a fitting tribute to an under-recognized living treasure.

Ella Hatfield’s post at Citizens Library might be filled by another, but Washington County has lost a dynamo of historical research. Hatfield was the all-star who anchored a corner of the county’s history research triangle for decades. She capably linked the library with complementary resources at the LeMoyne House and Washington & Jefferson College.

Hatfield’s knack for asking questions helped me find resources I didn’t know existed. She knowledgeably navigated sources regarding the whole of the county whether it was Washington, the Mon Valley, or Ten Mile and Cross Creeks. She did this while fielding phone calls, stacking books, and providing microfilm tutorials for new users. Her skill, professionalism, and direct style will be missed.

In the absence of Hatfield’s persistent advocacy, I hope leaders will continue to invest in Washington County’s history research triangle. The local history room at Citizens Library assists locals as wells as visitors from neighboring counties and states while operating on a shoestring budget. These researchers and genealogists patronize local shops and sometimes hotels, too. Don’t underestimate the importance of historical research as an economic and intellectual engine.

I’m grateful Hatfield championed local history for so long. Kudos to the Observer-Reporter{/em} for recognizing her retirement milestone – a day that was both happy and sad.

Samuel J. Richards

Shanghai, China