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published: Friday, June 19, 2009
Meet Diane Merchant, Howey-in-the-Hills librarian
Name: Diane Merchant
Hometown: Howey-in-the-Hills
Occupation: Librarian
Family: I have a librarian husband, a daughter who lives in Dunedin, another daughter who lives in Lake Mills, Wis. with her husband and two mastiffs, and a son who lives in Mount Dora. My mother recently joined us, having moved from Johnson Lake in Nebraska.
Q. What do you enjoy most about South Lake County?
A. It is the water, the lakes of Lake County that brought us here.
Q. If you had to summarize your philosophy of life in one sentence, what would it be?
A. The only way that I can make a difference in this world is by trying to make a difference in my tiny little corner of this world.
Q. Name a person or incident you've come across recently that's touched you in some way.
A. The Marianne Beck Memorial Library in Howey-in-the-Hills recently became a member of the Lake County Library System. A lot of work was involved changing from the library's former computer system to the county's new system.
Q. Why did this person or incident impress you so much?
A. The number of volunteer hours that were given for this project is astounding! Twenty-three volunteers worked a total of 94 hours putting new barcodes on all of the circulating items in the library; six volunteers worked 430 hours cataloging and attaching bibliographical records to the new system. A community giving so much to improve their library is heart-warming!
Q. How does your business or occupation contribute to the welfare of the area?
A. Howey is not a large community, the library is not a large library, but Howey residents have a place to go to get a book to read, to do some research on the Internet, to pick up some DVDs or read today's news, a place to go to learn chess, to discuss the book that they just read, a place to go to watch a movie in the middle of a hot summer afternoon and more!
Q. Name one of your greatest accomplishments so far?
A. Overseeing and coordinating the change-over to the Lake County Library System and creating the warm welcoming atmosphere of the Marianne Beck Library.
Q. What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't yet?
A. We were fascinated with the idea that we could get on our boat on the Harris Chain-of-Lakes and make our way to the Atlantic Ocean. We haven't yet had the chunk of time that expedition takes. But we will do it!
Q. What advice would you give to someone just venturing out into the business world?
A. I think that a library, like all types of businesses, be they public or private should be welcoming, friendly places where each individual is treated with courtesy and respect.
