There is a new director in town — library director, that is!
On Jan. 2, Boone Area Library welcomed Wayne Lahr as the new director.
Lahr has a variety of background experience; he worked as a high school librarian in Upper Mooreland for eight years and as a band director in the Boyertown Area School District for seven years.
His transition from band director to library director began with an assignment he required within his classroom — to write a biography on your favorite group or musician.
‘The research angle was more interesting to me,’ Lahr said. Lahr, a graduate of Boyertown High School, was going for his master’s degree when he decided to lean towards the library aspect.
‘I already loved reading, I was passionate about reading,’ he said. ‘I thought it was a worthy goal to reach.’
As library director, he is responsible for fundraising for the library, making phone calls, checking circulation numbers, and ordering new material.
‘There’s is a big learning curve [to] running this library,’ he said, but Lahr is up for the job. He would like to see more library programming for adults. Even in his short time in the position, Lahr has already noticed that ‘the library is used infrequently by teens’ and is ‘focusing on how to get kids in here.’
As director, Lahr would like to see more teenagers using the library to research, study, complete homework, form study groups, and borrow books.
Through the new position, Lahr said he can ‘read to a larger audience as library director.’ He plans to incorporate his two decades of experience working in a classroom to make the library ‘more active.’
‘The library should serve as a place for them to come,’ he said.
Lahr is focusing his beginning efforts on establishing a relationship with the community. He has already met with the librarian at Daniel Boone High School to discuss future collaborations.
Lahr will bring his experience as an educator to work with the students.
‘If they need the help with school work, I can offer more resources for teens,’ he said.
He feels that his strengths and skills lie in organization and community engagement and will explore ‘what reading means for a successful academic career in school.’
‘I want to make the connection to the area and built on that,’ Lahr stated.
He shared his excitement about the Schuylkill River Trail being located in such close proximity to the library.
‘I’m a huge rail trail advocate. I will certainly be bringing my bike to work to use the trail.’ Lahr said he loved biking since he was a kid, but after college biking fell to the way side. In 2006, he got a new bicycle and in 2007 he purchases a new mountain bike. He is looking forward on being able to jump on his bike and ride the trail after work.
Be sure to stop by the library to say hello to the new director. The Boone Area Library is hosting a Miller-Keystone Blood Drive 1:30 – 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13.
Last year at the blood drive there were 17 community members that came out to donate. ‘We’re hoping to double that number this year,’ Lahr said.
For more information about the blood drive call 610-582-5666. The sponsor code to register online is 5329.
Lahr is looking forward to strengthening his connections with the community through the library.