The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Library director retiring after 15 years
Mary P. Crehore, director of the Avon Lake Public Library, has announced she is retiring June 30 after dedicating 15 years to the running the system.
Ever since the age of 11, Crehore said she knew she wanted to be a librarian.
“I like order, organization and research,” Crehore said. “When I was 11, I would come home from school and ‘catalog’ my weekly readers.
“I was a bookworm, too. I spent my summers as a kid reading and playing Monopoly with my friends under a big maple tree on our tree lawn on the east side of Lorain.
“I had a fantastic English literature teacher my senior year in high school. He told me to pursue librarianship if that’s what I wanted to do. It took me a while, but I did it after I married and my children were born.”
Crehore, 68, recalls her first trip to a public library with her neighbor.
“My first trip to a public library was when I was in junior high — to the Main Library of what is now the Lorain Public Library System,” she said. “I just remember thinking, ‘look at all these books.’ I was really just amazed by the selection. I also remember my first public librarian being Mrs. Hudak. She was such a kind and helpful lady.”
Crehore said she her first job in a public library from 1980 to 1994 was at the Amherst Public Library.
She worked on a public service desk for about 20 years and has been in administration since 1994.
“Quite frankly, I like being the boss, and I think I have the skill set and good instincts necessary to do the job,” Crehore said. “I like big picture work, but I like details, too.
“I love a project. Give me a project, and I’m in it from beginning to end. Administration
has been very satisfying work for me.”
Prior to working at the Avon Lake Public Library, she worked as a director of Grafton-Midview Public Library in Grafton.
Crehore said the job in Avon Lake was an opportunity for her to work for a larger library with more staff and a bigger budget. And her experience at Grafton, she said, prepared her
for taking on a bigger library.
“At a small public library, you wear all the hats, including human resource management, public relations and building maintenance,” she said. “At Avon Lake, I have staff for much of that I collaborate with.
“Although the scope of the work is bigger, I have more expertise to draw from.”
During Crehore’s tenure as director, she said she and her team have experienced tough times, but accomplished a lot at the same time.
“We established a Story Book Trail and Little Free Library in the Kopf Family Reservation of the Lorain County Metro Parks,” Crehore said.
“In 2016, we planted a garden outside of the children’s department and gave most of the harvest to Community Resource Services here in Avon Lake.”
The Story Book Trail and the Children’s Garden both were recipients of the Avon Lake Community Council’s Project of the Year, she said
Crehore said she’s most proud of her staff.
“They are professional, intelligent, creative, caring and most importantly, kind,” she said. “Kindness is getting harder to come by in this world.
“Without the staff, this is just a warehouse. The staff serve the public, and they do it beautifully.”
Crehore said she plans to spend time with family, travel and just live life.
“I have a list as long as my arm of post-retirement plans, most of it revolving around my family and my household,” she said.
“I’ll travel a bit more. I’ll read a lot more. I’ll volunteer. I intend to stay active with North Coast Rotary.”
In honor of her service to the Library and the community, there will be an open house from 4-7 p.m., June 22, in the Waugaman Gallery at the Avon Lake Public Library, 32649 Electric Blvd.