WINDHAM – Myrle Cooper played a special role in the history of the Windham Public Library.
A former longtime resident, Cooper, 91, served as the library’s first director in the 1970s, after retiring as chief proofreader from Guy Gannett Publishing, where she worked for 25 years. She lives in Portland now, but her heart is still at the Windham Public Library.
“Yes, I miss it. I was there for 10 and a half years and it certainly has grown,” Cooper said. “And I’m very proud to have been a part of it.”
The history of the library, including the role of Cooper and her family, will take center stage next week with a series of special events and displays, from classical music and a Nintendo Wii party to ongoing exhibits exploring the library’s past, to celebrate the library’s 40th anniversary.
Visitors to the library next week will be sure to learn something new about the community institution.
For instance, Cooper’s husband, Leon Cooper Sr., built the library in 1970 and her son, Leon Jr., also known as Buzzy, erected an addition in 1992.
Another fact patrons might learn if they attend next week’s festivities is that prior to the formation of the library in 1970, the town had a small lending library known as the Windham Center Circulating Library, which was run by a committed group of residents. But, as the town grew, so did the needs of the library, to the point where the small building couldn’t hold the collection and the larger structure was built.
Marjorie Cushman, who moved to Windham in the early 1950s and remembers the circulating library, worked at the library from 1975-1995 and served as assistant librarian. She can’t believe what’s become of the library that started out so humbly.
“It’s evolved into a really neat library,” Cushman said. “When I started, we didn’t have all these wonderful extras that we have today. Now you go in there and it’s a busy, busy place.”
She credits the library director, Inese Gruber, and the group of assistants and aides.
“Inese has done a super job,” Cushman said.
That sentiment is shared by longtime user Ann Paquin, who serves on the Friends of the Windham Public Library and was the first children’s librarian, a position now held by Laurel Parker.
“I think Inese and the staff make it everything the patrons could hope for,” Paquin said. “They are all so willing to help and are able to determine what (patrons) really need.”
Gruber, who began as library director in 1989, is the longest serving head librarian and is proud of what the library has become. She says she and staff have prepared for the 40th anniversary in hopes of educating the public about the history of the library so they can be just proud.
“We’ve never really done anything like this before,” Gruber said. “We get questions all the time so it’s good for us and others to have a clear sense of the history, plus it rallies support for the library and how it serves the town.”
The Windham Public Library celebrates its 40th anniversary this
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