A lifelong Clarkston area resident, Mollie Lynch remembers when her mother took her and her siblings to get their first library cards.
‘I still have mine,? she said. ‘I remembered my number, it was 1287. I always liked libraries.?
The current library director has strong local roots and good memories.
‘It was a great childhood,? she said. ‘I loved growing up here.?
She also tells a story from when she was in second or third grade, when the Powell Orchard was still in existence.
‘We swiped some apples off the trees, and then we decided we were going to make apple pies,? she said. ‘Every one of our mothers had recipes for apple pies, but we went to the library to get a recipe.?
Lynch did not always set her sights on being a professional librarian, but said she ‘fell into it.? After helping in the Clarkston High School paperback library during her senior year, she went to college and found the library science major allowing students to take a wide variety of courses.
While she gives more credit to her reference librarians for knowing a lot of things about a lot of things, the variety is one of the things she likes about the job.
‘You do touch on so many fields. It’s always interesting.?
Lynch came to the Independence Township Library in 1991 after being a medical librarian at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
‘You can thank my mother, or blame her,? she said. ‘She kept saying, ‘This would be a good job.? You know how mothers are. I finally said, ‘OK, Mom.??
She looked into the job opening with a lack of enthusiasm, but, ‘During the interview I decided I really wanted the job.?
The current library building had just begun construction when Lynch became library director. She had little to say about the design of the building, but set the tone for the interior design. She also noticed ‘zero automation? and made that a priority.
‘I was really looking forward to moving it into the future and putting it back on track,? she said, voicing special concern for her nephews who were in elementary school at the time. ‘I thought, ‘They really need a better library.??
During her tenure, the library has grown to more than 100,000 volumes (with many works updated), an annual budget of more than $1 million and state of the art technology, including public Internet access and recently installed radio frequency book tabs to make circulation more efficient.
Lynch gives a lot of credit to the library board, staff and the Friends of the Library (which has increased its fund-raising from about $1,200 to almost $20,000 annually).
‘The technology of the Internet has been a boon to this library,? she said, as there had been some inadequacy in the area of reference works. State grants have helped add to the number of periodicals available online, and the Michigan Electronic Library (www.mel.org) is one of her favorite resources.
With nine full-time staff members, part-timers and volunteers, Lynch believes the library defies the stereotype of old-fashioned, stodgy librarians. She really enjoys the people part of the business.
‘I think we have fun,? she said. ‘The staff seems to enjoy it, and that’s one thing about a small community. You get to know people.?
She believes there are still challenges to face (including lack of space because of the expanded collections), but she also is happy to have a reading community.
The Independence Township Library now issues more than 300 new library cards each month, she said. The summer reading program is consistent, and there is good participation among senior citizens. Audio books have become more popular for commuters and even some tradespeople who use them on the job site.
‘I think people still read, and I think if people are introduced to reading as children, they’ll tend to be readers,? she said. While some children spend too much time with video games, ‘I think some will discover it. I personally hated to read until I was in middle school.?
It will come as no surprise that Lynch likes to read outside the job, ‘but I don’t get to do enough of it.?
She has an interesting pastime, however, as a home remodeler. Lynch became interested in buying homes and selling them for a profit after doing the upgrades herself.
She has become proficient in most building trades, with electrical work being her favorite. She admits to having more learn about drywall work.
‘I hate plumbing,? she said, but knows how to do what’s needed.
‘I enjoy it. It’s great therapy to take a sledge hammer to a wall.?