The Mid-Hudson Library System’s summer “road trip” doesn’t end until Oct. 18, but two Pine Plains residents have already completed the challenge of visiting all 70 libraries spread across five counties.
The program, which began on June 6, encourages patrons to explore Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Putnam, and Ulster counties, collecting stamps at each stop. Participants can earn souvenirs along the way, from stickers and magnets to a special edition library card. According to the Mid-Hudson Library System, the initiative was designed to highlight the services local libraries offer while drawing attention to their role in strengthening communities.
For Ethan DiMaria, a Pine Plains Free Library trustee and member of the town Planning Board, the challenge was an adventure he shared with his wife, Ariel.
“I think we got it in six weeks,” DiMaria said. “It’s a fun way to explore not only the libraries, but it’s a nice road trip through the entire Hudson Valley.” DiMaria, who also also works as an EMT, said the trip underscored how critical rural libraries are. “None of the surrounding towns have anything — Gallatin, there’s nothing. Ancram, the library that services them is in Hillsdale. So our library is important not only to Pine Plains, but to our entire school district.”
Mike Manning, a volunteer with the Herald, took on the challenge by himself, finding unexpected treasures in each stop.
“I had some great conversations with people, and at one point I had over a hundred items checked out,” Manning said. “I like to borrow music CDs, and they’re getting harder to find. Now I know where to look. Some of the collections were pretty good, so I’ll be going back.”
Manning especially enjoyed comparing the unique stamps each library offered: “Esopus Library has the best one — it’s a big fish. One had a gorilla. And I really enjoyed the Morton Memorial Library in Pine Hill, where I got into an extended conversation with the librarian. That was one of my favorites.”
At the Pine Plains Free Library, the program has brought a surge of visitors. “402 people have visited our library specifically for the road trip. Many had never visited this area before,” said Dee Ann Campbell, the library’s director. “Visitors were charmed by our library and its long history. Road trippers often had never been to this part of the county.”
Assistant Director Annie Mallozzi added, ““One patron told us that the library buildings change but the people behind the desk don’t because we all have the same soul. I think this work attracts people who love people, and it makes me so happy to think that patrons can feel it.”
Debra Skiver Cardillo of the Stanford Free Library noted that participants often leave with lasting impressions. “Our libraries feel like home,” she said. “They are a safe space that offer us peace and community.”
With more than a month left in the challenge, library staffers say they expect many more visitors. For DiMaria and Manning, the journey is already complete — but both say they’ll be returning to the libraries they discovered along the way.