A warm and personal introduction
to…BARBARA BYRNE OSUCH
Administrative
Librarian
She soars. . . there is no doubt about it. When she states with all the confidence in the world - "I never think of things as problems; I think of them as challenges" - well, we know that we have a "go-getter" in place as our administrative librarian. It is such a good feeling that we have.
At first glance, young Barbara could be thought to be just a fledging, newly sent out from the nest. But her credentials belie that thought instantly. At a time when most of us were still testing our wings, she was already armed with a Masters in English and teaching writing at Governors State University. Most of her students were twice her age, posing a psychological hurdle for her to surmount with them, but quickly her tremendous abilities and confidence won them over. While they learned, Barbara was quickly expanding her own leadership abilities in the process. I call that `confidence learned early'. A librarian's degree followed and, with it, the unique opportunity to head up the Steger library. For the next six years, she left her unique mark on all those who were lucky enough to see her in the role as leader and as friend.
Now, we in Park Forest and Olympia Fields look to her as our joint visions lead us to a bright new future - a future that already can be seen on the move in a number of directions as we look around us. Bringing the library's newsletter Forest & Fields from its conception to fruition is just the first of many things that showcase Barbara's abilities.
But what is the "private Barbara" all about? In a nutshell, she is fascinating. Imagine someone who spent a childhood falling into a book at every possible opportunity. Picture a working mother with a husband and two small children that greet Mom lovingly when she returns from work with "Mama, what new books did you bring us from the library to read tonight?" Of course, the surprises are pulled out and read to the eager youngsters. And she tries to squeeze in one of their favorites, like Cynthia Rylant's The Wonderful Happens, before she is off in the morning. Vacations? Travel is a must and camping is `where it's at' as it introduces the children to nature. Who could resist when Mama says, "Let's go and find Piglet!" You can just envision a trail of big footprints and a trail of little ones following her through the forest!
Such a full life only leaves her what she so wonderfully calls "captured moments" for herself. Good poetry draws her in as well as books that don't have to be digested whole but have moments of insight. Barbara mentioned Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit as a good example. She'd like to introduce her own hobby of scrapbooking to our library, savoring books with visual appeal like The Decorated Page by Gwen Diehn for inspiration. Just one of her dreams is to see the library develop a strong children's and teen poetry collection, as well as an environmental collection. The doable ideas are endless and seem to spout full-blown, together with well thought out ways to make them happen.
What do I see as one of her greatest assets? The greatest is her ability to make decisions on a day-to day basis and feel confident in their results. Along with this is the recognition that there is a tremendous need to move forward and change, but not just for the sake of change. Never. Instead, she sees the need to strive and work for continuous improvement. Barbara beams as she talks about making our library the center of our community. "We are all given a proverbial acre to tend, rework, and make things happen. My acre is the Park Forest Library. The potential is there and our collective vision is in place. With all of us striving for the same goal, I have great hopes that our dreams will become reality."
Join me in welcoming this bright and warm and intelligent go-getter of a librarian as she leads us forward on this bright path.
- Joan Larsen
Congratulations to Barbara Byrne
Osuch
and the Park Forest & Olympia
Fields Library Boards
for producing the wonderful library
newsletter, Forests and Fields!