1990 Serena's new job - clipping July 16

Serena Uible arrives as Greenville 

library's new top administrator

by Linda Moody, Features Editor, The Daily Advocate, Monday July 16, 1990

Serena Uible, Greenville Public Library's new administrator/librarian, grew up in Ohio near Wilmington in the small community of New Vienna.

She comes to Greenville from Illinois, where she served as a public services librarian at Alpha Park Public Library in Alpha Park, Ill., a suburb of Peoria.  She described that position as her first professional job.

Uible said she has been getting acquainted with the patrons of the library.

"It's very nice" she said.  "Carnegie buildings are very nice buildings.  The library I just left has about the same population.  The library was 20-years-old and the building was 4-years-old."  She said the two communities -- are "very different."

"Peoria was kind of a caterpillar industry town," she said.  "I am looking forward to working in Greenville."

She has also served other libraries such as the Kansas City, Mo., Public Library; the Loyola at the University of Chicago; and at Indiana University.  At those facilities, she did reference work and circulation.

She received her undergraduate college degree in political science from Park College, Kansas City, Mo., and her graduate degree in library science from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1988.

Her favorite literary works are fiction and biographies.

"I read almost anything, but not a lot of math, engineering, and car mechanical books," she said.

Sara Paretsky, a mystery writer, and Alice Hoffman, a fiction writer, are her favorite authors.

In addition to reading, Uible enjoys bicycling.

"I am looking forward to bicycling around town," she said.  "I also like outdoor activities, such as swimming.

Uible has been working in libraries since junior high.

"I tried a number of things, but decided to come back to library work," she said.

A resident of Peoria for two years, she was a member of the Jaycees there.

Uible's father, Harold, is an attorney, living in New Vienna with wife Jean, who is a retired librarian.  There are four other siblings in the family, the oldest sister of whom is also a librarian.

Uible said she liked living in Chicago, where she resided for eight years.  

"I went to a lot of plays and heard classical music," she said.  "There are a lot of cultural events in Darke County."

She said the third floor of the local library was recently renovated and noted the staff will work on moving things around.