Former Turner teacher Busch fits right in at Morse Library

GREENE — Those visiting Morse Library this fall and winter saw a smiling new face at the circulation desk, one that many in the community will recognize. Lynn Busch came aboard as the new library assistant at Greene’s public library in October. If she looks familiar to many of the library’s patrons, it’s for good reason: she may have taught them, or their kids — or both — at Tripp Middle School in Turner.

One might not guess that Busch, with her youthful energy, recently retired after 38 years as a seventh and eighth-grade reading teacher, but her enthusiasm for reading and vast knowledge of young adult literature are easy to see. As someone who’s read literally thousands of novels for middle schoolers and young adults over the course of her career, she is always happy to share with young readers thoughts about books they might like. She still avidly reads new fiction for both adults and teens, and looks forward to reading many of the titles from next year’s list of Maine Student Book Award nominees, as she did each year while teaching.

Busch hadn’t planned to reenter the world of work so soon after retiring, but she likes to keep busy, and when she saw the library’s want ad for a part-time assistant, she thought the position might be a good fit. She works Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, managing the library’s interlibrary loan service, helping to keep its collections in good working order, and occasionally getting to catch up with former students or their parents. After that, she still has the rest of the week to spend time with her two-year-old grandson.

“We were fortunate to have had several candidates we think would have done a great job for us,” librarian Steve Bouchard said. “But Lynn brings a set of skills and experience we were really hoping to add to our staff. Her background as a reading teacher working with middle schoolers will help us better serve readers in the community of all ages. We’re very happy to have her with us.”