Posted July 5, 2009

Many of us can recall the character Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Mr. Finch was a man of integrity, trustworthiness, and class who spent his life serving and assisting others. Another man asked in song, “Won’t you please, won’t you please, please won’t you be my neighbor?”  Mr. Fred Rogers was a smiling, powerfully pleasant force that showed us how to be neighbors, how to tie our shoes and how to imagine within the “Neighborhood of Make-Believe.”

John Ohr, librarian at the West 7th Community Center Library for 10 years, recently transferred to the St. Anthony Park branch of St. Paul Public Libraries.

Both of these fine men played significant roles in the neighborhoods where they lived. Both lived lives of service with honor and style. Our little community here in the West 7th neighborhood also had a fine man of such caliber and rank. This well educated neighbor dedicated to serving and assisting others was our own smiling, powerfully pleasant force for 10 years at the West 7th Library, John Ohr. John accepted a job transfer to the St. Anthony Park branch in June.

John came to the West 7th branch in 1999 and quickly became an icon in the community. John knew the neighborhood, for he had lived at the corner of Randolph and View. He also knew what kind of library the community needed: one that focused on service to the people in the area. He worked on the Alliance for Reading project; a community based reading program connected with local elementary teachers. He worked on the West 7th Poetry contests and loved to read and judge the poems submitted by local children. He expanded the children’s collection which, in turn, transformed the Summer Reading programs for over 300 children and families in the neighborhood.

For years, he worked with Ms. Salina’s class from Monroe as a library/school liaison. He incorporated volunteer library assistants into the daily routine of the library. Most of all, he could answer your questions about anything from g-mail problems to book recommendations to stock quotes to movie reviews. He was well versed in books, technologies, music, movies, magazines and more.

He welcomed all who walked in and had a rapport with everyone. He knew your name and the names of your children and pets. If you ever needed someone to chat with you could count on John, for in his small library space conversation occurred as often as checking out a book. He was someone who would respectfully listen, contribute and connect with you.

John is hopeful that his new branch will be receptive to his generous nature and need to connect and contribute. He is also positive that the West 7th branch will carry on with the same services and same warmth as if he were still behind the counter. My young children will probably still look for him and ask “Can John help me find a book today?” They will probably still shout out “Hi, John” as we drive past the branch location.

That is just how it is — a person like John Ohr affects a tight community like West 7th in such a way that even though his job takes him elsewhere, his work and his energy continues on. And honestly, St. Anthony Park should be ready for many visitors from the West 7th neighborhood for we don’t have to travel far to visit John. Thank you for your many years of service and smiles, and good luck at the St. Anthony Park branch.