Ellwood City Area Public Library Book Sale to Honor Former Director Veronica Pacella

Veronica Pacella created a legacy of love for literacy, and the Ellwood City Area Public Library will honor that legacy with a book sale in her name.

Veronica’s Legacy Book Sale will be held March 6th,7th, and 8th during regular library hours. Upon her death, Veronica gifted the library more than 1,000 books from her personal collection. Books will be sold for the following prices: Hardcover $3; Paperback $2; and DVDs $1

Heather Baker, the library’s current director and friend of Veronica, said Veronica was an amazing friend, librarian, and person.

She was very positive,” Baker said. “She enjoyed politics and talking about it. She was one of the most intelligent and interesting people I’ve ever met. She always had something to say about any topic. She always had such great insight into all subjects.”

Baker said that most people in Ellwood are probably familiar with Veronica as she was a community leader bringing books, writing, and storytelling to Ellwood City with her constant and consistent efforts in community building.

Baker said she never imagined she’d one day be in the director position at the library following in Veronica’s footsteps.

“I started here 11 years ago, and we became friends. She is the reason that I am even here, she believed in me. I never thought of being the director.”

Baker remembers Veronica’s fight against cancer.

“When she had cancer first time she did so well. We were shocked when it came back during COVID. She would come in on Sundays to do her work. Those last few years were rough for her as she really enjoyed being around the community.”

Community was a big thing for Veronica and spreading her love of the written word.

Over 20 years ago, she started the three Adult book clubs at our library that are still hosted today. Every month, she and the members of the book clubs read a different book. Instead of borrowing the books, she personally purchased one for her own collection, and that is where many of the books for the sale came from.

“Veronica’s brother and sister said this sale would make her happy,” Baker said.

Before she worked at the library, Veronica owned a bookstore in Zelienople. According to Baker, she had an entire room full of books and they were also stashed in other areas of her house. She said “To Kill a Mockingbird” was Veronica’s favorite book, and her personal copy was gifted to her great niece.

“That book influenced her in the things that she did,” Baker said.

Veronica Pacella died at the age of 67 after a courageous six-year battle with cancer on August 31,2024. She was a proud graduate of Lincoln High School, Class of 1975. Veronica furthered her education at Slippery Rock University, graduating in 1979. Her professional journey began and lasted for almost 20 years at the Ellwood City Ledger, where she quickly made history as the youngest and first woman editor of the newspaper in 1981.

After leaving the Ledger, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of opening “The Bookseller” book store in Zelienople, where she shared her love of literature with the community. After the bookstore closed, she spent a short time as a teller at ESB Bank in Zelienople.

In 2002, she became the director of the Ellwood City Area Public Library. Under her leadership, the library not only moved to its current location but also flourished as a hub of community engagement and education. The challenge of completing this project and doing so without the library having to incur the burden of a mortgage was among her proudest career achievements.

During her 20-year tenure as director, her efforts were recognized statewide. The Ellwood City Area Public Library has been the recipient of five Best Practices Awards from the Pennsylvania Library Association for early learning and early development programs, as well as a David J. Roberts EXCEL Library Service Award, and earning national recognition for its programs in 2023.