The McCoy Public Library in Shullsburg welcomes Sara Millhouse as the new library director, taking over the position after the retirement of Carol Stoudt after 17 years.
Millhouse grew up in Galena and went to Grinnell College in Iowa, majoring in English. She traveled around for a couple of years to Scotland and New Zealand.
“I then decided to get a full time journalism job that I wanted after college before I got distracted traveling,” Millhouse joked.
She became an editor of a weekly paper in Southwest Wyoming, working there for a couple of years. She then went closer to home, ending up in eastern Iowa working in weekly papers in Bellevue and Dyersville. After a while she wanted to pursue a more worthwhile job that she had been longing for and Shullsburg was the best option.
“I’ve always been passionate about library stuff. It’s all about getting information to people, so they have open access to information,” Millhouse stated.
She has always been a library user. Millhouse commented how she was a typical bookworm when she was younger but is not quite that person now. She loves being in Shullsburg, which has helped her to be closer to her family still in Galena.
“I love it here. I love our patrons. We have got a diverse group of patrons, age wise. We don’t just serve all older people but many young families and a lot of kids. Everyone has been very welcoming.”
Millhouse has been very grateful for the help of former library director Carol Stoudt and to other employees Virginia Grossen and Sam Story and Jan Curran and Shelia Cernek at the Gratiot Branch.
“Carol did an awesome job through the 17 years she was here. She was really the person that got the Gratiot Branch going. She has done a ton of things throughout the years to make this a really vibrant place and that is a huge gift. I owe her the world,” Millhouse explained.
The McCoy Public Library will be having their Summer Reading Program starting soon with the theme based on fitness with “On Your Mark, Get Set, READ!” For more information visit the McCoy library website (https://mccoypubliclibrary.wordpress.com), Facebook page (Shullsburg McCoy Public Library) or stop in and say hi to Sara.