The story of the Archibald family — woven through early basketball history, Warren County sports, and the rise of professional librarianship — once shone brightly in the Warren Public Library Children’s Department. It was there that Elizabeth “Betty” Butcher (later Archibald) and Olive Archibald (later Huff) began their influential careers as librarians in the years before World War II.

The Warren Public Library will present a special program celebrating this legacy on Friday, July 31, at 10:30 a.m. in the Slater Room. Registration is required. The presentation will highlight the lives and contributions of these dynamic women, whose speeches, readings and community involvement helped shape the library’s growth. The program will be enriched by the anticipated attendance of Anne Archibald Acton, daughter of Gerald (Gerry) and Betty Archibald, and a 1964 graduate of Warren High School, traveling from Alfred, N.Y.

Local researchers Bill Massa and Steve Warner will lead the presentation, focusing on the influential female librarians connected to the Archibald legacy. Among the many examples of Betty Archibald’s commitment to children’s literacy is her 1933 statement to the Jefferson School P.T.A.: “We should strive to make the books we want children to read attractive and readily accessible rather than to tell them these are the books you should read.”

The program will also introduce three additional librarians whose work intersects with the Archibald family story, expanding the narrative of how these women shaped both the library and the community it serves.

Online registration is available on the library website: https://warrenlibrary.org. Those who need help with registration can call 814-723-4650 or email adult@warrenlibrary.org.