Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
For Linwood Community Library’s new librarian Katie Moore, the facility is much more than a place to check out books. It’s a community center where she hopes to help people get together and enjoy books and other activities.
“That’s something that I am passionate about, specifically getting people out of their houses, getting people out to engage with people, and feel like they’re not alone,” she said.
Moore knows all about living in a rural area and needing a place to go for camaraderie and fun. She grew up near Thorny Creek in the last house on her road, in a little place called Clawson.
The family suffered several tragedies through the years, and Moore didn’t honestly think she would ever come back to Pocahontas County. Now that she has, she’s glad she did.
Moore went to college at West Virginia University and moved with her boyfriend to Boston, Massachusetts, and then back to the eastern panhandle before coming back to her family home.
After her father, Charles “Buck” Moore, passed away in April, she and her boyfriend came back to Clawson and decided to stay.
“My partner – he is very much not from Pocahontas County,” she said. “He is from a place where there is civilization. He’s not used to this, so when he was the one that suggested ‘why don’t we just stay here and we’ll make your dad’s house our home.’ That’s kind of where we are right now. It’s really nice.”
Things fell into place and as luck would have it, the Linwood librarian position came up and although the job isn’t in her degree field, Moore jumped at the opportunity to serve the community.
Moore has been friends with Pocahontas County Free Libraries Director Hallie Herold since childhood and was eager to work with her friend in creating new programs for the Linwood Library, as well as maintaining the ones that are ongoing.
“Hallie and I met last night and talked,” she said. “I’ve got a list of things I want to do. I am still figuring out how to accomplish them.”
Of course, the library’s bread and butter is books and Moore has a knack for helping a visitor find what they’re looking for, simply by learning what they like to read.
When I mentioned a couple of my favorite authors, she’s immediately said, “I have a book I think you’ll love.”
“That’s something that’s been fun, too,’ Katie said. “When people check out books, I tell them to let me know how it was so I can recommend it,” she said. “I think it’s really important to connect with people. Kind of get a sense for what people like.”
Moore even plans to have a “readers’ picks” section of the library, similar to those in bookstores, for “staff picks.” She wants to display recently returned books with comments from the readers in hopes that someone will be inspired to check out the book as well.
In addition to books, Moore said she wants to get a few activities organized for the community, including a game night and something for homeschool children in the area.
“I would love to have a game night here,” she said. “I was actually thinking about the mail order mystery things that you can get. I think it would be a fun – get out of your house – do something collaborative night.
“I have met a lot of homeschool parents and I would like to see if they’re interested in coming up and doing things together,” she added. “I know they are already really good with networking and communicating with each other. I would love to be part of bringing people together, too.”
A reader herself, Moore said her favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut – a mutual love she shared with her dad.
“That was his favorite,” she said. “I would get him a Vonnegut book every Christmas.”
She also likes stories where the main character learns a lesson, and, hopefully, becomes a better person by the end of the book.
Although it has been challenging to return to her childhood home, especially after so recently losing her dad, Moore said she is happy to be back in Pocahontas County and excited about the future.
She is also ready to take on the completely made-up role of “Mayor of Clawson.”
“I ran into some people who camp there that my dad knew forever, and they called him the ‘Mayor of Clawson,’” she said. “It triggered something in my memory and I was like, ‘I remember people calling him that.’
“Now it’s an inherited title, so now I’m the ‘Mayor of Clawson,’” she added, laughing.
