Even though she passed away in the late 1950s, Lucie Price is still remembered for being a friendly face at Doylestown’s first free library. The Doylestown Historical Society recently wrote about her on their social media page.

Ms. Price was a librarian at Melinda Cox Free Library, the borough’s first free library. Back in 1917, a local newspaper wrote about her presence at the new library.

“Miss Lucie R. Price, the Librarian, and those who assisted her, were surprised to find that a great many of the youngsters were particularly interested in books on history, biography and the like.”

One regular to the library was James A. Michener, who would grow up to become the well-known author of books like The Fires of Spring, Chesapeake, Caribbean, Caravans, Alaska, and much more.

The author, who signed uo for a free library card at the age of 10, later dedicated his novel, Return to Paradise, to Ms. Price, crediting her with instilling in him a lifelong love of books.

When Price passed away in 1956, a local newspaper referred to her as the “Dean of the libraries in Bucks County”.