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Community Corner

Marsha Ramey Keeps Sachs Library Educational and Fun

Sachs offers events suitable for young and old alike with their library programming efforts.

This week, Patch introduces you to Marsha Ramey, manager of the Sachs branch of the St. Louis County Library.

Everybody knows a library is a place to check out books, use computers and even read the daily papers, but library special event programming also shows the community that the library is an energizing and engaging place. Residents both young and old can enjoy the many educational events at no cost, and many of the events are just plain fun.

At the Sachs branch of the St. Louis County Library, special event programming is overseen by branch manager, Marsha Ramey.

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“You learn about event planning on the job,” Ramey said. “Every community is different. Something can be popular at our branch, and at others it can fall flat.”

One thing that didn't fall flat was Ramey's career as a librarian. Armed with a masters degree in Library Science, she has spent her entire career slowly working her way up the library ladder. She began at libraries in Iowa and Illinois, and then landed at St. Louis County Library.

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“I've been with St. Louis County Library for 24 years,” Ramey said. “I will be at Sachs for nine years this November—since it opened.”

Event planning wasn't part of the curriculum when Ramey was studying for her masters degree, though she has no idea if that is part of library science education today. At Sachs branch, all staff have something to do with the events that are held.

“This is a mid-sized branch,” Ramey said. “Things here are a little different. We all get involved in doing things. It all filters through me, but we don't have a programming committee.”

The events held at Sachs fall into three different categories; The Youth Services department at St. Louis County Library plan events for the Summer's Children's Series as well as Art at Your Library, which might consist of performers that come into the library or they provide materials to the branch staff who carries the program out.

Finally, each branch's staff comes up with events or a volunteer comes in and wants to present something. At Sachs, their Origami class is a perfect example of a volunteer having the idea. “A lady comes in and teaches origami once a month,” Ramey said. “She came to us and said she wanted to do it. It's very popular. We also have people who come in and teach how to declutter and someone else teaches resume' writing.”

At Sachs, the Youth Specialist is in charge of story times while other staff handles the team program. “The three of us talk about ideas and offer suggestions,” Ramey said. “Then three staff members do movie discussion groups who talk among themselves about their program.”

Some of the ideas come from the Sachs librarians themselves, and others come through research.

“We look at what others are doing around the country,” Ramey said. “The St. Louis County Library hold various workshops where people come in and train us, sometimes through the county and sometimes through the state library,” Ramey said. “They give us suggestions and techniques.”

Obviously, some events at Sachs are for educational purposes, but many events are just for fun. “Our Lego program is about having fun,” Ramey said. “We just give the kids a bunch of Legos, give them a theme and let them create. It's another way to get people into the library and hopefully, they'll check out some books.”

In September, two long-standing programs begin, including Archeology events and classes which Sachs started holding a few years ago, and Sachs' home school program.

“Our home school program is truly a more educational thing,” Ramey said. “We do history, science experiments and lots of things. It's for grades 1-4 and every month is a different topic. On September 8, we have Mysterious Mixtures, where we'll be combining things in science experiments to see what happens. “

But whether an event at Sachs is for education or entertainment, there is one overall goal to special programming. “The obvious story line is to develop a love and interest of books,” Ramey said. “And a lifetime of reading enjoyment.”

For a schedule of upcoming events at Sach's Library, visit their calendar page on their website.

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