Chillicothe librarian’s legacy of discovery and acceptance lives on in rare book collection

For 25 years, Stanley Planton served Ohio University’s Chillicothe Campus as director of Quinn Library, fostering curiosity among students, faculty and staff and helping them find meaning in their research.

Stanley Planton passed away in 2017, but his passion and appreciation for discovery live on through the Quinn Library’s Religious Tolerance Collection, a rare book collection featuring philosophical works that explore a variety of religions and introduce the principle of acceptance.

To honor his dedication to the University, his family recently created an endowment to help grow the collection with the hope its message of tolerance, understanding and acceptance will spread.

“Some of these books are ancient,” Stanley Planton’s wife, Margaret, said. “A lot of people are hateful to each other, and a lot of it is religious-based. We need to work at being together and finding common ground because it’s not just something that happens. You have to really work at it.”

The collection includes ancient texts from the 1300s that have been translated by scholars, modern works by professors and academics around the world, and one of the earliest maps of the Mecca, a city in Saudi Arabia considered sacred in the Islam religion. Some of the rare books are stored in a glass case, while others are available for checkout.

Quinn Library Director Brandi Weaver said the collection is an important academic resource.

“It makes me proud to have a special collection at a small campus,” she said. “It brings in both community members and students.”

Students and faculty utilize this collection for projects and research, particularly historical and religious studies. However, these rare books are also open to those who are simply curious. Weaver sees this collection as an opportunity for everyone to learn about acceptance and humanity’s cultural roots.

“If we as a culture do not know where we come from, how can we move forward?” Weaver said. “We need to look at the markers of our past.”

Exploring other cultures and embracing differences were values Stanley Planton practiced throughout his life.

Prior to settling in Chillicothe, Ohio, he worked as a librarian in Nebraska and South Dakota. His work at OHIO led him to teaching trips in diverse locations like Swaziland and China.

Stanley Planton’s travel experiences, combined with his desire to learn, made him a tolerant and curious individual, Margaret Planton said, adding that contributing to the Religious Tolerance Collection is a wonderful way to honor her husband.

“The endowment that is now established to grow the collection includes the approach of having conversations and speakers to help everybody think and talk instead of butting heads about religion,” she said. “We need to talk about how we are all here together and how we have to be compassionate.”

The collection was originally established by a generous donation from author Dan Brown, known for his books “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons.” Stanley Planton was a close friend of Brown’s and helped him with research for his books.

“Stan found answers for Dan. That relationship lasted for several years through ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and ‘Angels & Demons,’” Margaret Planton said. “For Stan, it was just part of the excitement of being a librarian and looking for things.”

That legacy and passion for exploration will always be remembered, she added.

“It’s just been amazing to realize how many people he helped,” she said. “He helped people find answers, but he didn’t necessarily give them the information. He helped them grow in learning and searching.”