The librarian: Ruhama Bahr

By David Steinkraus
Journal Times

Monday, September 24, 2007 12:38 PM CDT

Ruhama Bahr, 32, the youth services librarian at the Burlington Public Library, became acquainted with the library world at a young age. “Actually it was because my mom was president of the library board for as long as she could be, and so I was in the library a lot.” That was in Milton.

She wasn’t sure what to do with her life, studied history — at Taylor University near Muncie, Ind. — because she liked it, and worked in the school archives. “And it was a lot of fun, and I thought, ‘You know, maybe I should pursue librarianship for a while.’” And because she enjoys working with children, she specialized in youth services.

She likes doing story times for children, picking books that parents might not be drawn to, and providing a bit of information, a tip or two, that parents can use.

“I really like the kids that come in and say ‘I need something to read,’ and they don’t care what it is. So then I can give them some good stuff without them saying, ‘Oh, it’s too long,’ or ‘I don’t like fantasy,’ or, ‘My teacher says it has to be blah, blah, blah.’ ”

Ruhama Bahr, youth services librarian. Photo by David Steinkraus, Journal Times (Edit)

This job won’t be forever. After almost eight years, Bahr said she feels stuck, that she needs a break. So she’ll be leaving the library in mid-October with no clear view of what she wants to do next. It will be in the library field, however, perhaps teaching online courses or writing how-to guides for librarians. “And someday I wouldn’t mind going back to archives, although I’d have to take some more classes.”

In the archives, she liked organizing things, and she liked caring for those pieces of knowledge so that they’re not forgotten. Because, she said, the fascinating aspect of archives and historical displays is that you can see what a time was like and get an idea of how people lived. “It would be like reading a historical fiction book, where you’re kind of transported.”

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