By Martha StoelTing
Staff Writer

Margo Wilson is learning the ropes and getting to know the community served by the Syracuse-Turkey Creek Township Public Library. She is the new children’s librarian there and has been on the job since Sept. 23.

Coming to the position with a well rounded library science background of 20 years, she is diving head first into her duties. “I am brand new and learning my way,“ she commented.

Each week, she leads story times for various ages that incorporate stories, music, movement and playing. Preschool story time for those 3-5 years meets at 10:30 a.m. Mondays while toddler story time for 18 months to 3 years is 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and little ones story time is 10:30 a.m. Fridays.

Wilson oversees the children’s department which serves ages birth through age 12. Responsible for all children’s programming and material selection for children and on parenting, she works with a team of four to provide the best possible library experiences.

A Wisconsin native, she earned in undergraduate degree in political science from University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and her master’s degree in library science from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her interest in being a librarian began during her first job at age 16 as a page at her local library. Her first job was as a children’s librarian near Jackson, Miss. She has also worked in Spartanburg, N.C., and near Terre Haute where she served in administration.

Her interest in this area came from taking a vacation at the Oakwood Resort. “I think I Googled lake vacations and up it popped,” she chuckled. So taken with the local environment, she returned several times and started checking for job options. With the notice of long time Children’s Librarian Gielsa Vore’s retirement, the opening appeared and Wilson put together a resume and immediately applied. She has settled into a seasonal rental of a cottage while she gets her bearings. She enjoys reading, hiking, swimming and traveling. “I was a German shepherd Mom until a couple of years ago, and am thinking about another dog,” she added.

Wilson stated, “My favorite thing about the job is working with the families and watching the kids grow up.” She encourages anyone thinking about being a librarian to just do it. “It is the best job in the world, especially at a public library where you are involved in the community and get to really know it,” she noted.

Stop by the children’s department in the lower level of the library and welcome Wilson to the community. Syracuse Public Library hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

The library is located uptown at 115 E. Main St. All residents and property owners in Turkey Creek Township may join for free and all children who live in the Wawasee Community School Corporation area can also join without paying. Programs are open to anyone.

More information about the library is available online at www.syracuse.lib.in.us or on its Facebook page.