CW: Helping Change Lives, One By One

Coupled with these success stories about three regular customers at CW, Janice Adams quoted Paul S. Spear's adage, "As one person, I cannot change the world but I can change the world of one person."  

Janice says, "As a library we can’t change the world but we make a difference in the lives of our customers. Webb Regional Library makes a difference every day. Here are the stories of a few people that our staff has helped.

"Mercedes and her family moved here from out of state about a year ago. Over the last 9 – 10 months, she studied for and took the FSA, SAT, ACT, ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), and AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test). Her family doesn’t have a computer or Internet at home. While other teens were socializing or playing computer games, Mercedes was on the library computers nearly every day after school and many Saturdays completing her assignments. She used library books and databases, especially the Testing and Education Reference Center.  We are so very happy to know that 
Mercedes is graduating high school June 2 and she scored well on both the ASVAB and the AFOQT.  She plans to enter the military.

"Genesis is another young woman whose family moved to Jacksonville from out of state for her senior year. She came to Webb to earn volunteer hours for her Bright Futures Scholarship. She was told her volunteer hours from another state wouldn’t transfer, so she was pushing herself to get the hours she needed, all while studying for the SAT, ACT, and completing class assignments. Not only is Genesis graduating from high school, she is class Valedictorian, is certified to work at a dental office front desk, and soon she will begin undergraduate studies at UNF.

"Ulysses, pictured below at CW, is a man in his 30's who went to Grand Park Alternative High School here in Jacksonville. He wants to provide for his child and set a good example. Ulysses works an overnight shift and comes into the library several days each week to use our computers to complete graduate level classes online. He is currently working toward a Doctorate in Education. Ulysses will finish his coursework in a few weeks and will soon begin writing his dissertation.

"We are so proud of each of these students. They are just a few examples of people who use and benefit from the resources and support provided by Webb Regional Library and its dedicated employees."

Janice, an LAS in CW's Teen Services, proves another adage, "The proof of the pudding is in the pot."--or in the case, the library.

Tell us about your library's success stories!