Kids & Family

Harrison Library Staff is There to Lend a Hand

Whether you need help tracking down old records, information or need help using new technology, the Harrison Library staff is here to help.

No matter what you are looking for, chances are the information can be found with the help of the staff at Harrison's two libraries.

Whether it's help finding information in a book, learning the ropes with new technology or just help searching for something online, the staff at the Harrison Library works every day to help patrons get what they are looking for.

"We very rarely have someone leave without having an answer of some sort," said Carole Meehan, a 23-year-veteran of the library staff.

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Providing that kind of assistance isn't always easy, it requires the dedicated 17 person library staff to keep up with modern technology. Harrison's library isn't just about books anymore, and staff members have had to learn the skills to keep up with the constantly changing way people get their information.

"With E-books, it really changes everything," said Dan Briem, a library clerk, referencing the library's recent decision to include access to thousands of electronic titles available for download with a library card. Staff now even helps teach people how to use the new technology before they bring it home.

Find out what's happening in Harrisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The staff at the library now handles a variety of jobs. While one person is weeding the books—removing books rarely checked-out and replacing them with newer titles—another is updating the library's website or Facebook page.

Basically, being a librarian isn't the same job it was a few short years ago.

"It's very fascinating, it's very different," said Margaret LoRusso, a librarian in Harrison for the last 14 years. "Every day you come up with something different."

New programs introduced recently include , , and additional children's programs. Librarians help coordinate these events in addition to fullfilling the traditional roles of helping people find information, be it online or inside of a book.

There are benefits to working in the library. Residents from all over town stop in from time to time looking for help finding information. It gives the employees a chance to meet a lot of people and answer a wide variety of questions.

Just last week Meehan said she helped someone find birth records from more than 100 years ago to help update a family tree.

"People still need us to do that sometimes, even with everything that's available on the internet," said Meehan. "Sometimes they just want the help—the human help."


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