Closing the book on 32 years

The Library of Graham has evolved over time, but for the last 32 years one thing has remained the same and that has been Sherrie Gibson working within its walls. Gibson will be retiring from her director position at the end of February as she moves onto the next step in her life.

When Gibson began working at the library in August 1989, it was located where the North Central Texas College nursing school currently sits at 928 Cherry St. She began as a part-time worker shelving books that were turned into the library. She was looking for a part-time job due to her children being in middle school and her needing to get out.

“When they got in middle school, I just had to have something to do. So I found a part-time job. (...) then when we moved down here (to the library’s new location), we needed more staff, so I went full time,” she said. “(...) I’m not a person that likes to just sit. So I was always ‘Okay, show me something else. Show me something else.’ So I tell everybody, I’ve done a little bit of everything in here (...) except going underneath (the building), I will not go underneath. I don’t like to go under buildings. But when we came down here I was at the front desk and just one thing led to another and when Bob Lanier left, then we had Jeff Scott, (and) he actually started showing me other parts of the library. Then I started taking some classes and learning and when he left we had (...) a woman that was in here for maybe six months. She was from the city. And then I think it was in 2000 they gave me the director’s job. I was interim director and then we had a new director for a while and then they gave me the job.”

Gibson grew up in Midland and came to Graham in 1973. She said those around town have told her she is basically from Graham, having been in the city for 32 years. She said she has not regretted her time.

“I’ve been here 32 years, I’ve loved it,” she said. “You know, every day you come to work and it’s something different and the programs that we have here, keep us busy.”

For the rest of the story, see the Jan. 26 edition of The Graham Leader.