The precocious fourth-grader sent to detention at his childhood school”™s library had the last laugh on school administrators. Sam Patton, who has spent the last 55 years volunteering to spread the written word, loved being kept after school. “Books were my life. It was like sending me to heaven.”
There”™s little doubt Patton”™s mother, an educator, had a profound effect on her reading prodigy. Being enlisted by mom (herself a library volunteer) to drive their hometown”™s “book bus” to the outlying communities in his native Virginia was Patton”™s introduction to volunteering.
Patton joined the Army during the Korean War, but rather than finding himself on the front lines, he was stationed in Japan for the duration ”“ “the place everyone wanted to go to recoup. It didn”™t happen by design; the sergeant came down the line, told half of us to wait, and sent the rest to get their gear. They went to Korea.”
Patton returned home and picked up where he left off prior to enlisting ”“ a fellowship was waiting for him at Syracuse University. “At that time, IBM was working on the 650 computer, and since I already had been working on it in Japan while I was in the army I did a summer internship with the company. After graduation, I was again enlisted ”“ but this time, by IBM.” Big Blue offered him a job at its Endicott facility as an engineer. Â
The company, “which was almost 30,000 strong here in New York at that time,” eventually moved Patton to work in its Westchester and Dutchess facilities, when he met his wife at a church function in White Plains. The couple got married in 1962 and bought a house “equidistant between Mohansic and Poughkeepsie,” said Patton. “And yes, Stephanie and I are still in the same house,” he smiled. “I don”™t think we”™d have it any other way.”
While Patton put in his 31 years with IBM, he continued volunteering at his library in East Fishkill. While he still keeps a hand in his former field, writing computer software for small businesses, Patton is just as committed to his volunteer work as he was when he drove the bookmobile back in the Old Dominion as a boy. Today, he”™s also spreading the word about how important libraries are to society as editor of the New York Sstate Association of Library Boards”™ newsletter.
The East Fishkill Library is where you”™ll find Patton when he”™s not laboring over a new software program for a client in his professional capacity. “We are very fortunate to have the space we have; the original building was half of what you see now,” said Patton, pointing to the children”™s corner, computer stations and an ample supply of books, recorded books, CDs and movies. With nearly 5,000 square feet of space, “We run nearly 40 programs a month here for children, teens and adults.
“In addition, we have a revolving art show that changes monthly. It gives people an opportunity to showcase their work. Not only does it brighten up the library, but it gives our users a chance to see so many creative mediums.”
Are libraries a dying breed, victims of the Internet?
“Absolutely not,” said the long-time computer whiz and book lover. “If anything, since this deep decline in our economy, more and more people are turning to their local library system. You can look for anything on Google, but if you come into a library, there”™s a trained research librarian who can guide you to the correct information.
“We”™ve had many people coming in to learn to brush up on their skills, put resumes together, do research on the computer and have our librarians and volunteers help them. You can”™t beat face-to-face interaction. For people who have lost their jobs, having personal contact with others is an added advantage ”“ they don”™t feel disconnected.
“A library is a place where people can see other people and make human contact ”“ and that”™s something we desperately need today.”
Like many of the libraries across the state, funding is always a challenge. “We”™ve been fortunate,” said Patton of the town library. “The voters have been very supportive, since it is up to them to determine our budget and to elect the board of directors. Albany? That”™s another story. Twenty years ago, the state worked out a formula to fund libraries and to this day it has not met the goal set for itself.
“We”™ve been fortunate to have the support of local government and our legislators, like Sen. Steve Saland, who has been helping bring money to the community, especially when it comes to helping people find work.
“We had a program here for a time to help people find employment but that funding dried up. It would be nice to see it start up again. It”™s unfortunate, but the minute you hear the words ”˜budget crisis,”™ the first thing to get slashed is funding for libraries and the arts.
“When I look around and see how much we bring to our community, it just doesn”™t make very much sense to me. It”™s difficult to understand the rationale. We”™re expected to do more with less and we”™re projecting a 20 percent cut in aid this year. Luckily, we have some very dedicated volunteers who are going to work a bit harder.” Count Patton among them.
