Catonsville Community Gathers to Celebrate Writers

Friday night’s event at the showcased 15 authors, four of whom are residents of Catonsville, and allowed them to mingle with book lovers in the community.

“I like the fact it brings neighbors into the library and gives people in this community who love books a chance to see each other at least once a year,” said Michael Collier, the former poet laureate of Maryland and longtime resident of Catonsville.

Some of the authors had attended before but organizers are always looking for new authors who have recently published materials to share, according to Karen Nicolaus, president of Friends of the Catonsville Library.  Each year the event changes a little based on feedback. 

 “It’s the kind of event that makes you feel, as a writer, special to be invited,” said Madeleine Mysko, an author who was new to the event.

Guests were invited to enjoy wines, cheese, cakes and other snacks as they chatted with authors, shopped for books, listened to music and caught up with neighbors.  Refreshments for the event were donated by local establishments such as The Wine Bin, and .  Live music was performed by guitarist Bob Margolis.

Proceeds from the event were used to restore a chromolithograph that depicts a panoramic view of the Patapsco River for seven miles above and below Ellicott Mills dating back to 1857.  The restored, framed chromolithograph was presented to the crowd by Maggie Schorr, former President of the Friends of the Catonsville Library. 

“It’s neat to see something from the past that we’ve brought back to life,” Nicolaus said.

The new acquisition is just one of many pieces of Catonsville’s history that the library has available to the public, Schorr told the crowd.  There are also maps, housing information, genealogical data, and 100 years’ worth of year books housed in the library as well. 

The Friends of the Catonsville Library have also raised funds to improve the library building as well and modernize its technological capabilities. 

“Maryland libraries are a special place. They fight the good fight, because when budget cuts come up, libraries are one of the first things people go after.  They are seen as a luxury," Collier said.

"Fortunately, here they’re seen as a necessity."