Page 73 - Sun Rays March 2013

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ONLINE: SCTXCA.ORG
washer-upper. Yep, she’s in charge of
that monthly two-hour task, too.)
At age 55, Harber knew in her heart
and felt in her soul—she was meant to
be a librarian. So, at age 60 she went
back to school and earned her master’s
in library science in December 2010. The
Georgetown Public Library hired her the
following month.
She longed to be in charge of that book-
mobile, but she didn’t assume the job
would be hers just because she was
already on staff. Without her director
knowing, she spent her days off volun-
teering to work with, and learn from,
the bookmobile staff in Temple.
“By the time Michele interviewed, she
knew exactly what she was talking
about; she had her own ideas in place
to make the WOW!mobile the huge suc-
cess she knew it could be,” Lashley said.
Out of a field of 150 applicants, she won
the coveted spot of WOW!mobile’s first
official Outreach Librarian. The other
good news? A grant from the Texas State
Library & Archives Commission and the
Institute of Museum& Library Services
would pay her first year’s salary as well
as provide nearly $20,000 for books. Bet-
ter yet, the grant was recently renewed
for a second year. Harber is very grate-
ful for this generosity, as are the City of
Georgetown and the Georgetown Public
Library.
There are many stories to tell about this
first year, but one Lashley especially
takes pride in telling is how Harber,
when she found out one of her young
readers was recovering from a hit and
run accident, chose books she knew he
would like and took them straight to
his hospital bed. He’s fine now and con-
tinues to visit the bookmobile with his
siblings. She tells other young friends
that, whenever or wherever they see the
WOW!mobile, they are welcome to stop
and come aboard.
Harber knows exactly how important the
WOW!mobile is to the people it serves.
She believes that, as a society, we cling
to those similar to ourselves. The book-
mobile not only promotes love of reading;
it promotes equalization and good will.
It breaks down barriers and provides
a place to come where there is no pres-
sure but plenty of unconditional love and
listening ears.
“This bookmobile is a great equalizer.
The public library draws people together,
and the bookmobile is an extension of
that,” she said.
Look for the WOW!mobile every Tuesday
morning at 9 a.m. in the Social Center
parking lot or at 11 a.m. in the Cowan
Creek parking lot. Books are switched
out for each run, so there’s always
something new. Or, go online to library.
georgetown.org to order the books you
want to read.
So what’s the next leap of faith for
Friends and the Library? Knowing the
perseverance of those Friends, anything
could and probably will happen.
Photo by SHERRY MCRAE
Michele Harber, Outreach Librarian, and Eric Lashley, Director of the Georgetown Public
Library, on the first day the WOW!mobile arrived in Sun City in 2012.
Photo by Maggi jones