Murrysville library welcomes new director Emma Beaver

Emma Beaver will never forget her elementary school librarian.

“She worked tirelessly to promote reading,” said Beaver, who took over as director at the Murrysville Community Library on Jan. 14. “It didn’t matter whether you liked reading; it was about bettering your life.”

Beaver, 32, of Uniontown comes to Murrysville after serving as director at the Brownsville Free Public Library for the past two-and-a-half years.

“I earned my master’s degree in library science from Clarion University, and worked at the Uniontown library for about six months before accepting the director’s position at Brownsville,” she said.

Beaver said she enjoys the opportunities that libraries offer to make a positive change in peoples’ lives.

“Libraries are kind of that last bastion of free services, where there’s equal access and it doesn’t matter your background, where you’re coming from, what you have,” she said. “You walk through those doors, and you have access.”

Beaver said she hopes to continue incorporating science, technology, engineering, arts and math concepts, or STEAM concepts, into library programming, and is also seeking grants to digitize the library’s extensive catalog of local newspapers and records.

“I plan to spend the next couple months getting to know the library, the community, what needs still need met and where we can go from there,” she said.

An open-house reception where library patrons can meet and speak with Beaver will be from 3 to 6 p.m., Jan. 23 at the library, 4130 Sardis Road.

For more, including upcoming library programs, see MurrysvilleLibrary.com.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick at 724-850-2862, pvarine@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MurrysvilleStar.