BY MICHAEL DOJC
Town Crier Staff

George Herbert Locke, who served as the chief librarian of The Toronto Public Library from 1908-1937 would be proud if he could see the library built in his honor on the eve of its golden anniversary.

Locke Library is a beautiful, stately building that sits spectacularly overlooking Alexander Muir Gardens.

The long-standing community fixture is truly a treasure as many of its patrons and staff will tell you.

Mary Lee VanPoorten, the assistant branch head of the library, has been working at Locke for 15 years and she is fully enamored with her job and the library itself. "Locke is structurally beautiful, it is the best layed-out library of all the (Toronto) branches."

But more important than the library's design, or even its contents, is the library's clientele that gives Locke its inner beauty. "I like our customers because they are very knowledgeable. They make my job challenging and rewarding, " said VanPoorten.

Lorna Scott, who has been an employee at Locke since 1985, also has kind sentiments toward the library's patrons.

Once, many years ago when the branch had a one-renewal-only policy, Scott bent the rules to allow for a customer to re-renew a book which dealt with chemotherapy. A couple of years later the customer returned with a gift for Scott and tears in her eyes.

"I know what will always mean so much to me," Lorna says in regard to Locke. "My friends on both sides of the desk."

There are many other heartwarming stories in Locke's past, like two years ago when Catherine Fine donated $500, 000 to the library, stipulating that the money be used for books, maps, manuscripts and other materials.

Then there is the Toynes family, who generously donated flowers to the library's front garden which is absolutely stunning.

Most importantly there are less extravagant but just as meaningful personal testaments to Locke by the library's regulars.

"I like to read political news and they have all kinds of international newspapers here," says Harry Artinian, who isn't much of a book reader but plans to start soon.