Inspire, Spring 2012

Walk into the Cedarville branch of the Greene County Library and you will see a welcoming children’s area complete with activity toys and small tables. Comfortable chairs are sprinkled throughout the fiction and nonfiction sections, allowing patrons to sit and enjoy a book amidst the quiet. Want a magazine or need to use a computer? Both are available. On the day I visited, a big-screen TV aired the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game in the community room. With 5,000 square feet of space, the library has adequate room for research, learning, and enrichment … but it was not always this way. Recognizing the Need By 2002 the village library had outgrown its 1,200-square-foot home on the first floor of the Cedarville Opera House. Jan Bosma, associate dean for library administration at Cedarville University, had talked to the village librarian on several occasions, and she understood the challenges the tiny library faced. Shelves were so full the librarian was forced to display books on the floor in front of the shelves, and there was no room for adult tables or chairs — only one child-sized table. Yet the library was still a hub of activity, serving more than 1,500 patrons who checked out 81,079 items. More than 90 percent of card holders used the library that year. A local group called “Friends of the Library” had begun working on a relocation plan, although they hadn’t seen much progress. Because of her professional experience, Bosma knew the library could offer many more services if only it had more space. When she was given time for a sabbatical from her position at Cedarville, Bosma had a clear vision for how she wanted to use her time. Forming the Plan For Bosma, the grassroots effort to build a new library began where most community action begins: she saw a need and wanted to solve it. Her first logical question was, “Where do I start?” She began by meeting with the head librarian of the Greene County Public Library’s It Takes a Village The Cedarville community needed a library, and she needed a community to bring the project to life. by Cheryl (Warren) Brugel ’90 Jan Bosma found a way to apply her professional skills in her community. 18 SPRING 2012