Longtime Newtown resident Carmel “Carm” O’Neill was a lover of classic literature and had a passion for learning.

She worked professionally as the library director for the University of Connecticut until her retirement in 1995, and she went on to volunteer her time with the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library.

There, Mrs O’Neill managed the classics section for the annual summer book sale for many years.

She retired from the friends’ sorting room in March 2017, prior to moving out of town, and was honored with a “coordinator emerita” award after more than two decades of dedicated service.

However, her impact in Newtown did not end there.

After Mrs O’Neill’s death in November 2018, Alma Tuchman and other members of a book club Mrs O’Neill was part of wanted to do something to pay homage their good friend’s legacy.

The group donated a total of $10,000 to the friends, who then paid the money forward by gifting the whole sum to the C.H. Booth Library in Mrs O’Neill’s honor.

Friends publicity chair Toni Earnshaw said, “Kay Brix, former president of the friends, was instrumental in facilitating this $10,000 donation to the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library.”

As a result, the monetary contribution will now go towards a new program named after Mrs O’Neill.

“The gift will be used to establish and maintain the Carm’s Classics Club at the library, which will promote the reading of classic literature through book discussions and programs,” C.H. Booth Library Young Adult Librarian/Volunteer Coordinator Catherine Findorak explained.

Carm’s Classics Club will be geared for readers of all ages to give them an opportunity to discover and enjoy classic literature.

Two titles — A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry — have already been chosen for Carm’s Classics Club. The library welcomes suggestions from patrons on other books they would like to see featured, as well.

“The library is honored to accept this generous and thoughtful gift from Alma Tuchman and the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library,” Ms Findorak said. “We are currently working with Kay Brix, a member of the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library, on initial plans for the Classics Club, and we are grateful for the opportunity to establish this club that will surely promote the joy of reading throughout Newtown.”

For more information about the C.H. Booth Library, visit chboothlibrary.org.