LaDonna Gass is the inspiration behind the Whistle Stop Library. In 2007, she approached Village President Ivan Rademaker about turning Emden's old train depot into a library. Spending many late nights scrubbing the old floors of what had been a storage shed since 1971 and doing other repair work, she turned it into a beautiful three-room library. People donated books and funds to help stock the library. The depot's last station agent donated the old lantern that was used to signal trains, and the original ticket window is being used as the circulation desk. Due to LaDonna's efforts, the library now has support from Orvil Township and the Orvil-Prairie Community Chest; the library also has a formal Board of Directors.
Village President Ivan Rademaker says, "Because of LaDonna's hard labor … we have a lovely historical building being utilized. This has taken place because of one person’s vision."
