The Shinnston News & Harrison County Journal has named Sharon Saye as November’s Citizen of the Month, a program sponsored by Thomas R. Williams, Premier Wealth Partners, a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
By TRINA RUNNER
News & Journal Staff Writer
All over the world, libraries offer free access to written and electronic information to people of all ages. In our little corner of the world, the library also introduces people to forensics, reading to dogs, languages around the world and birds of prey. It offers reading challenges, movie nights, book clubs, recipe swaps, holiday events, and book signings … and one woman is behind it all.
Bridgeport Library’s Director Sharon Saye has been with the library since it was housed at the Benedum Civic Center and occupied only 2,800 square feet. The facility has now grown to 15,000 square feet and is located on Johnson Avenue. Under her direction, the collection has grown to over 135,000 items, which includes books, audiobooks, music CD’s, magazines and one of the largest collections of DVDs in the state.
Although she has been with the library for over three decades, Saye had no problem bringing it into the 21st Century. She introduced area residents to over 40,000 eBooks, over 100 online magazines and over seven million downloadable music selections. Under her direction, the library has grown to be one of the highest circulating libraries in the state.
Saye has been a member of the West Virginia Library Association and the American Library Association since 1990 and has held leadership roles throughout. She was the first Vice-President of the WVLA and the President of the WVLA as well as Chair of the Director’s Round Table. She is also a member of the Executive Board for both the Clarksburg-Harrison Cultural Foundation and the Bridgeport Arts Council.
“Literacy has always been a passion of mine,” said Saye. “My involvement with the arts councils is a result of my desire to see more performance and literary art events in our county.”
Overseeing a staff of 18 and recently celebrating the paying off of the library mortgage, Saye continues to set goals for improving the future of the facility.
“We hope to expand the building and adapt to the constantly changing needs of the community to offer state-of-the-art resources to the citizens of Harrison County.”
Photo by Buffington
