Local. Library. Love. – Kathy McClure Retires

Kathy McClure, Director of Waynesburg’s Eva K. Bowlby Public Library for twenty years, has announced her retirement, effective at the end of this year.

Ms. McClure was hired as the Children’s Librarian/Assistant Director in September of 1994, back when the Children’s Department consisted of five stacks of kids’ books and two stacks of picture books. The Children’s wing of the library was relatively new, just seven years old, and she expanded services, books, story times, and had murals painted on the walls. One of her favorite memories is building a bank for summer reading club where the children received Book Bucks for books they read.

In a recent conversation, Ms. McClure looked back on her eleven years as Children’s Librarian fondly, reminiscing about the summer when they built a castle for the kids to enjoy. “We established traditions that have continued to this day,” she said.

A lifelong resident of Greene County, Ms. McClure graduated from Waynesburg College. When she became Director of the library in 2005, she returned to school for two years to get her masters degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

When asked what accomplishment she was most proud of, Ms. McClure didn’t hesitate, “I think I’m most proud of maintaining the elegance of this building.” “There was so much deferred maintenance that had to be done. The building was really in bad shape.” The porches were redone; new drains around the building, new furnaces, and a new roof installed; the upper parking lot was put in; and the gazebo was added to the front yard. “The uniqueness of this library makes it stand out from the ordinary,” she said.

In 1994, when Ms. McClure first started working at Bowlby, people were still checking books out by hand and using date stamps. “So much has changed,” she said. “Now we have computer stations and data bases and materials we never dreamed we would be able to offer to the public.” She oversaw the automation of the library system in 2012. A new security system was installed, a door counter, public computers and printers, and classes for the public on how to use them.

As Director, Ms. McClure also made sure that Bowlby Library placed an emphasis on literacy for everyone. A $60,000 literacy grant over three years enabled the library to add to their adult literacy program and expand it to include English Language Learners and tutoring classes for kids. This emphasis on literacy for all contributed to Bowlby being named a Family Place Library, which came with an additional grant to purchase quality toys and materials to be used in the Baby Lap Sit and Toddler Share programs.

She also oversaw the EQT grant for the new Community Room where meetings and programming events are held.

Her years at Bowlby Library were often a family affair—her kids and grandkids were employed there, and after he retired, her husband Jeff helped so often that the Board of Directors offered him the job of Building Maintenance Supervisor. He’s been at the library for ten years and is retiring along with his wife.

“I am humbled and grateful to have been involved with the library for my whole career. In my time here, the children and the people have been so wonderful. I’m grateful to have built connections and relationships with all the patrons who came into the library and into my life. I hope I have helped build the library into a true community asset.”

For the generations of patrons and readers who have gotten to know Mrs. Kathy in her time at Bowlby Library, we invite you to stop by the library, and offer a memory and best wishes.