With just a few clouds in the sky and a brisk breeze, the Friends of the Oakdale Library along with an enthusiastic crowd recently celebrated the dedication of the new mural at the Oakdale Library. With the branches extending up through the white clouds and the tree branches full of colorful books, the mural embodies the love of learning and reading offered through the library.

“I remember how much I loved to draw trees as a kid and I have brought my kids here to the library so many times so I really enjoyed painting this mural,” said Lindsey Wetenkamp, the artist that brought the mural to life.

Sharon Arpoika, President of the Friends of the Oakdale Library, noted how proud she was to be a part of the group that helped make the mural a reality.

“It started with a group of women, the Oakdale Women’s Club dedicating the library many years ago and grew to what the Friends of the Oakdale Library is today,” said Arpoika.

She also highlighted how friends including Colleen Cordano and Rosalie Osman championed the library and worked so diligently to help create a lovely outdoor garden at the library. Though Cordano and Osman have passed on, their legacies of hard work and dedication to the library will continue on for many generations to enjoy. Applause greeted Barbara Marquis, a lifelong member of the Friends of the Oakdale Library, as she and her daughter Jeanne Marquis entered the outdoor space for the dedication. Both Barbara and Jeanne inherited their love of knowledge and advocacy from Margaret Garat, mother to Barbara and grandmother to Jeanne.

“My grandmother worked hard to help build this library into what it is today because she was an advocate for public education and public health,” said Jeanne Marquis as she noted her grandmother’s photo prominently displayed on a wall in the library.

Through Garat’s work along with Judge David F. Bush and Helen Gray, a local educator, they began assessing the library and its overall condition in 1962 and formed the Friends of the Oakdale Library in 1963 to ensure that everyone had access to the information and resources that libraries provide. The library on South First Avenue in Oakdale bears Bush’s name.

“My mother always said that public libraries were the great equalizers and I think that is true. They’re one of the last truly accessible institutions offering everyone the same access to knowledge, connection and community – regardless of income,” said Barbara Marquis. “We need this type of community space now more than ever.”

For more information about the Friends of the Oakdale Library, visit: https://friendsoakdalelibrary.org/