When Matt Pfisterer first walked through the doors of Thrall Library in Middletown, New York, in January 2011, the city still had quiet streets and many vacant storefronts. Fourteen years later, it has transformed into a more vibrant, diverse community—and the library has grown right alongside it. As Pfisterer put it: “I’ve seen a tremendous change, especially in the last five years or so, there’s a lot of multicultural diversity in the area.”
A city and its library
Pfisterer has watched Middletown’s revival unfold block by block. He credits new businesses, revitalized storefronts, and local investment with giving the city fresh life. And he sees the library as an anchor in that progress: “Libraries tend to be economic anchors to community.”
For him, Thrall Library isn’t just a place to store books—it’s a community hub that adapts to whatever people need most.
More than books
Today, a Thrall Library card gives patrons access to much more than shelves of print. From streaming films on Kanopy and Hoopla, to e-books, audiobooks, and research databases, members can log in from anywhere. Still, Pfisterer stresses that the physical building has a unique role: “Where else can you go where people don’t charge you to sit there, and you can study, you can do research.”
The library is also part of a larger network. “We work in collaboration with the entire—all 47 libraries in the Ramapo Catskill library system,” Pfisterer explained, describing how regional cooperation expands access for all.
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Programs for every generation
On any given day, Thrall Library is alive with activity. Families gather for story time, children participate in summer reading challenges, and teens and adults join book clubs or workshops. Pfisterer noted: “We just finished a summer reading program where we had almost 200 youth registered.”
The library also serves job-seekers, entrepreneurs, and students with free Wi-Fi, computer access, and proctoring for online exams. And just next door, the Friends of Middletown Thrall Library run a used-book shop, recycling donations back into the community. Pfisterer calls them “kind of like Goodwill Ambassadors in the community for the library.”
Meeting challenges head-on
Running a public library also means facing real-world challenges. Pfisterer is candid about the impact of homelessness, addiction, and housing insecurity in the community. He also oversees needed building upgrades—roof repairs are done, while HVAC improvements are next.
Yet what sustains him isn’t just infrastructure or statistics. When asked what inspires him in his work, Pfisterer paused and admitted: “Nobody has ever asked me that question. Nobody.” After a moment, he explained that it’s the day-to-day moments with staff and patrons—the small wins—that keep him motivated.
Pfisterer is especially proud of his team: “If you can do your job in Middletown, you can go to any library anywhere and do that job.” He believes the unique challenges they face make his staff some of the most capable in the field.
And at the heart of it all, he says: “When people come into the library, they have a good experience. They feel connected to their community.”
Looking ahead
Pfisterer and the library board continue planning for the future, balancing urgent needs with long-term vision. From multilingual collections to programs that reflect Middletown’s growing diversity, he is confident the library will remain a first responder to social change.
Discover why Middletown Thrall Library is more than a place for books—it’s a gateway to opportunity. Visit www.thrall.org or stop by to explore its resources and feel the warmth of community connection.
