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Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library

Marcellus Library staff members provide valuable skills and services.

Marcellus Library staff members provide valuable skills and services.

 In 1895, when the Ladies’ Library was formed in Marcellus, the volunteers who organized and managed the library were literate and able to keep track of books that were donated, loaned out and returned.  Today’s Marcellus Library staff have more detailed job descriptions.

Libraries are no longer places just for borrowing books.  They have expanded to include resource material, historical documents, movies, books on tape, electronic resources and a myriad of services to the community.  Patrons now come to the library to use a computer or their own device, to print out material, to make copies, send faxes, work on their tax forms and search or apply for jobs.   

Library staff persons now need to be able to do more than check books out and in, though that is at the core of the library’s purpose. Over the years, the development of a multi-trained staff has become increasingly important, in order to maintain a large collection of materials, provide services, develop programming and stay up to date on changing electronic operations and options.

The Marcellus Library staff now includes a team of seven people who come with various backgrounds and who continually develop new skills in order to respond in a friendly, professional way to patrons’ questions and needs. 

Patricia Buckhold, Library Director as of January 2023, began working at the library in 2001, when she was fourteen years old, and continued for eight years as a part-time staff member. In mid-2018 she re-joined the library staff and then earned her Master of Science in Library Science from the University of Kentucky in 2022. Patty is eager to lead the library into the future, saying “Our library has a history of over 120 years of growth and innovation; I am excited to build upon that legacy to respond to the needs of our community and ensure that the library continues to offer access to valuable resources and provides a meaningful sense of connection locally and globally.”

Jo Beachy has been working at the library since October 2010. She works at the library during the winter months and is an organic vegetable and flower grower in the summer. Jo repairs books that need to be fixed, creates book displays, and “weeds out” old or unused books to make room for newer ones, as well as helping to manage the Inter-Library Loan system, which permits patrons from one library to order books from another library in Michigan.  She says, “I love that we can get books from any library in Michigan, and people from all over the state can borrow from us!”

Morgan Ludlow, our Program Coordinator, has been working at the library since November 2022. Her favorite thing about working here so far is coming up with events for the community and seeing all of the kids who come in for Preschool Story Hour and helping them with crafts and reading! You will often see her at many different programs with her three little boys! Getting to know the library patrons has been a wonderful experience for her, and she is constantly learning new things about them!

Tammy Terpstra has been working at the library as an Interlibrary Loan Specialist since November 2022. Tammy previously worked as a nurse practitioner at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center and then moved into administration, serving as Chief of Extended Care and Rehabilitative Medicine for many years.  She has a Masters of Science Degree in Nursing from Purdue University. She has done post graduate work at Harvard University.  Tammy served as a Captain in the United States Air Force for several years early in her career. She  retired and decided to get a job here at the library! She especially enjoys hosting our monthly book club, where patrons gather to share lively conversation and reading recommendations! Tammy teams up with her sister, Terry, and they write the weekly article in the newspaper!

Terry Terpstra was also hired in at the library as an Interlibrary Loan Specialist in November 2022.  Terry graduated from Purdue University with a Masters of Science Degree in Nursing.  She did post graduate work at the University of Wyoming.  She has had  many medical and nursing research articles published over the past several years. Terry previously served as a Captain in the United States Air Force.   She then served as a nurse practitioner at the Battle Creek  VA Medical Center specializing in acute medicine, geriatrics and palliative care. Terry decided to retire  and got a job at the library as well! She enjoys seeing all of our patrons and getting to know them by name. Terry writes the weekly article that is published in the newspaper with her sister, Tammy.

Justin Blair, another recent hire, is our I.T. Specialist. He completed his Associate of Applied Science, Computer Information Systems at Glen Oaks Community College. He has been working diligently to ensure our patrons have access to well-functioning computers and WiFi. 

When asked, “What do you enjoy about working at the library?” all staff members said approximately the same three things: 1. We love to be surrounded by books, to see and hold new books, to talk with patrons about books. 2. We appreciate the pleasant working environment, sharing a variety of tasks, being in a place where ideas are welcome and individual styles are affirmed. 3. We are happy that so many people from the Marcellus community come through the library doors, engaging us in conversation, research, and service provision; sharing interesting news and views with us; and confirming our belief in the importance of libraries. 

 

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