Cynthia Carr -  “Library Geek” with a purpose

At nine years old, Cynthia Carr headed down to the library from her home on First Street in a tradition that goes back more than a hundred years to the opening of the Beaumont Library. In small towns, kids walk to the library.

“I grew up in this Library,” Carr says. “It was the place to be.”

The longtime library trustee, she still remembers climbing a steep flight of stairs outside of the building to reach the Children’s Library on the second floor when she was a child.

“You would go through those double doors and enter a world just for children,” Carr says.

 As a fourth grader, she won second place in a book report contest during the Summer Reading Program. 

 Preserving the Library

Carr’s paternal grandparents settled in Beaumont during the 1930s, and she has taught elementary school in town for nearly two decades. When school is out, Carr visits public libraries across the country and around the globe in her self-described role as a “library geek.” From her travels so far, Carr is left with an overriding impression about her beloved hometown Library.

“I see so many more things that we could offer if we had a bigger building,” she says.

As she reflects back on childhood memories of the Library, Carr knows exactly why she chose public service. She was first appointed to the Library Board in 2014. Her current term expires in 2026.

“I think we’re called to serve. I want to preserve this Library for future generations.”