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Discover Fauquier
June/July 2026
4
For Maria del Rosso, the magic of the
written word wasn't just a career path--it
was a childhood mission. Growing up as the
youngest of three sisters, she watched with
a touch of envy as her older siblings read
the Sunday comics before she could. That
early drive to unlock the secrets on the
page sparked a lifelong passion for reading
that eventually transformed the landscape
of literacy in Fauquier County. After 35
years at the helm of the
Fauquier County
Library, Maria is preparing to close this
particular chapter and retire.
Maria's journey to the director's chair was
serendipitous. A Spanish major who spent
a year in South America, she returned
home to West Virginia looking for her next
step. When she was offered an outreach
position at City-County Public Library in
Moundsville, WV, she took it. Within a year,
the library sent her to the University of
Pittsburgh to earn her master's in library
science. She then returned to City-County
Library as a children's and adult services
librarian before moving to Virginia in 1987
to direct the Samuels Public Library in Front
Royal. Four years later Maria was named
director of the Fauquier County Library and
never looked back.
When Maria first arrived, the library system
was much humbler than the robust
institution it is today. The Winchester Street
location was a single floor, and the Bealeton
branch was housed in a tiny 1,600-square-
foot storefront. Under her leadership, and
with the support of an active Board of
Trustees and
the Board of
Supervisors, the
s y s t e m
blossomed. She
over saw the
addition of a
second floor in Warrenton, the expansion of
the Bealeton location into a 10,000-square-
foot freestanding branch, and construction
(and later, an expansion) of the Marshall
branch. From renovating the old Bealeton
station depot into a library meeting space
to making the John Barton Payne building
more accessible, Maria ensured that the
library grew alongside the community it
served.
The world of information has shifted
dramatically since Maria started her career.
She navigated the library through the digital
revolution, transitioning from physical card
catalogs to online databases and e-books.
While the formats have multiplied--from
print and CDs to e-audio and digital
downloads--Maria notes that the core
human desire has stayed the same. People
still love to read and want the library to be
a cornerstone of their lives.
Even with high-tech upgrades, some of
Maria's favorite moments remain the most
traditional: watching Head Start children
rush in for storytime or seeing the
excitement of a toddler clutching a new
book. Her tenure also saw the rise of the
Barbara and Keith Severin Lecture Series,
which recently brought New York Times
bestselling author Sy Montgomery to the
Rice Theatre. Thanks to the Friends of the
Library group and generous foundations,
Maria has helped the library offer unique
programs like this one and others.
As she prepares to step down, Maria
reflects on the sense of community that
fueled her work--the talented colleagues,
dedicated volunteers, and even the garden
club members who tend the library grounds.
Having worked since she was nine years
old, starting with a paper route, she is
looking forward to the novelty of not having
a schedule. While she has no specific plans
other than taking it easy, she leaves with a
profound sense of gratitude.
"I was given a wonderful opportunity and a
privilege--something I believe and invested
in," Maria says of her time at Fauquier
County Library.
Thank you, Maria, for your years of
dedication to spreading your love for
literacy. Fauquier County is certainly better
read for it.
Maria del Rosso Finishes Her Chapter
at the Fauquier Library
Maria del Rosso
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