By 1808Delaware
On Tuesday, November 11, all branches of the Delaware County District Library will be closed. The pause is intentional. It is meant to honor the men and women whose service has shaped the freedoms we sometimes rush past in daily life.
While the doors will be locked, the Library still invites the community to take the day to learn, remember, and reflect.
The Local Story: Delaware County Veterans and Heroes
Inside the Library’s archives is a growing project with a simple mission: make sure no local veteran becomes a forgotten name on a list.
The Delaware County Veterans and Heroes initiative collects personal histories from veterans who have lived in the county. Staff and volunteers gather photographs, letters, documents, and recorded stories. Every contribution becomes part of a public record of service, accessible online.
If you have a veteran in your family, this project gives you a chance to make sure their experience lives beyond a box in a closet. The Library accepts scanned photos, handwritten memories, and full narratives. No story is too small.
Remembering Those Who Served in World War II
Delaware County sent soldiers across oceans and into combat during World War II, and their voices are still here if you know where to look. The Veterans and Heroes project includes interviews, images, and documents from local men and women who served during the war in roles ranging from front-line infantry to radio operators to nurses.
These stories are not only history. They are a record of our community’s character.
Researching Your Veteran
Sometimes a name is all a family has. The Library can help uncover the rest.
Fold3 is a military genealogy tool available through DCDL. It includes draft cards, service records, photos, and stories. You can create an online memorial page for a loved one who served, combining official documents with your own photos or letters. The result is a digital tribute that can be shared with family anywhere.
Ohio Memory adds even more depth, offering digitized artifacts from museums, libraries, and archives across all 88 Ohio counties. It is free to use and full of unexpected discoveries.
Delaware County Memory: Letters Across Time
For several years, DCDL and other community partners have worked with the Community Library in Sunbury to preserve local historical documents. The project, called Delaware County Memory, contains more than 300 items, including letters written by Civil War soldiers to their families and postcards from World War I.
These records have now become part of the Digital Public Library of America. Anyone can explore them by visiting the site and searching Delaware County Ohio History.
You might find a soldier writing home about farm chores he misses. Or a telegram that changed the life of a family still living here today.
Your Role in Preserving the Story
Every veteran’s story matters, whether it involves combat overseas or logistics at home. If someone in your family served, the Library would like to help preserve their memory.
Sharing your documents ensures that their legacy becomes part of Delaware County’s permanent record. More importantly, it ensures that future generations can see the faces and read the words of the people who helped shape this place.
