Nancy Smith and her green thumb have been keeping Mt . Lebanon Public Library ’ s gardens glorious since 1983 , when she moved here from Baltimore . A certified Master Gardener , Nancy has also served on the Friends of Mt . Lebanon Library ’ s board and worked on the library ’ s annual garden tour and plant sale committees .

In 1999 , she served with four other Mt . Lebanon residents to plan the layout of the library ’ s courtyard garden , including devising a watering system to ensure the garden flourished . She has been the coordinator of the courtyard garden since 2000 . Nancy also has lent her skills to the Banksville Road Beautification Committee , the Mt . Lebanon Parks Advisory Board , the Mt . Lebanon Nature Conservancy , and the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden .

Q : What ’ s your favorite part about volunteering ?

A : The friendliness of the people who use the library and the staff . And , of course , knowing that the garden is flourishing .

Q : What aspect of your volunteer work makes you proud ?

A : The library courtyard is a great place to see an incredible garden of native plants attracting native pollinators . We use organic products , make our own mulch ( and , no , it ’ s not

smelly ), spend many wonderful fruitful hours in the soil making life-long friends while giving many volunteer hours to the library .

Q : Have you always been a library person ?

A : I have used libraries since being a kid . Reading was a family activity and the library was a world to discover new fantasies and adventure of the imagination . Some were dusty old buildings , but the main library in downtown Baltimore was elegant . I always liked the little garden area where one could read .

Q : What is your favorite work of fiction ? Nonfiction ?

A : Fiction : The House at Pooh Corner by A . A . Milne . Non-fiction : The Omnivore ’ s Dilemma by Michael Pollan . Q : What are you currently reading ? A : The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls . Q : Who is your favorite author ? A : I love Isabelle Allende because she blends history , family , lives of women , and a sense of mystery .

Q : What would you title your autobiography ?

A : Gardening : An Artistic Expression .

Q : If you could be any fictional character , who would you be ?

A : Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and

Prejudice . Q : What is the library ’ s best-kept secret ? A : The courtyard garden . I am always surprised how many people don ’ t know it exists .

Q : Besides reading and volunteering at the library , what ’ s your favorite hobby ?

A : Swimming , bike riding along rail trails , traveling to new areas , walking in the woods , kayaking . Q : Your favorite movie ? A : National Lampoon ’ s Christmas

Vacation . Q : Final words ? A : Come sit in the courtyard and read and contemplate the miracle of life and plants .

Photo by Ginnie Fickman