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Exponent-Telegram editorial for Saturday, September 26, 1998

Clarksburg-Harrison Library's new director is well-qualified

Area citizens who use the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library can look forward to an improvement in the information resources it provides for its patrons -- in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

That's because there's somebody new in the position of director of the library, and she pledges to connect people with information through her efforts.

We support Beth Nicholson, who comes to Clarksburg after serving as director of the Upshur County Public Library for 11 years. She enjoyed her work there, but was ready for another challenge.

That challenge will include overseeing the growth of the Clarksburg library's computer and technology capabilities. Her duties will be primarily administrative. She hopes to begin her work by focusing on the audio and video collections and to increase the circulation in those areas.

She reasons that since so many people spend so much time in their cars or doing tasks at work or home, it often leaves them free to listen to audio books. Since Nicholson spent as much time researching audio and video selections as she did books, we're confident she can ensure a greater commitment in those areas in Clarksburg.

With Clarksburg serving as one of seven 'sub-hub' libraries in the Mountain State -- all libraries in the surrounding area can operate off Clarksburg's computer system -- she'll be in a much better position to supervise the growth of the library's computer and technology capabilities. Even Morgantown and Fairmont are hooked into Clarksburg's system already, and Nicholson is optimistic that many other area libraries will be on-line in coming months.

We're hopeful that later this fall, when $5 million in Gates Foundation grant funds are distributed throughout West Virginia to help equip libraries with the latest in computer software and hardware, the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library will get a needed boost.

And we hope that with Beth Nicholson aboard as the library's director, as she works with the local library board, we'll see an increase in the number of all kinds of books available for people to check out by simply presenting their library cards.

-- Robert F. Stealey