| Bookmobile
brings Sherid Peterson back to Wellsville
By Aaron Falk
December 10, 2004 | WELLSVILLE -- While
a group of fourth-grade students from Wellsville Elementary
school huddle around a book and laugh, their teacher
apologizes for bringing her books back late.
Sherid Peterson, driver of the Bookmobile, checks
his records, a series of papers taped to one of the
truck's shelves, and finds her name.
When the children decide on their books, they make
their way to the front of the truck for checkout. Peterson
knows some of their names and can't remember others,
but he jests with all of them.
"They're fun," he said of the students."I love joking
around with them."
Peterson, a former Wellsville Elementary school teacher,
has been driving the library on wheels for more than
31 years and said he doesn't have plans to stop any
time soon.
"This is my 32nd year," he said after looking over
a desk calendar. "I'm at the age I could retire, but
I want to keep going."
Making one of his weekly stops in Wellsville Monday,
Peterson said he loves his job and finds it very rewarding.
"It's always making people happy," he said."I just like
the job. It's a good job -- very positive."
After teaching at Wellsville Elementary, Peterson
said he taught at North Park in Logan, where he heard
about the Bookmobile.
"Through the school, I heard they were looking for
someone to drive the Bookmobile," he said."It kind of
peaked my interest and I've been here ever since."
Aside from the occasionally raucous class, Peterson
said he can only recall one bad experience during his
years driving the Bookmobile.
"I loaned it to someone once," he said."They drove
it around pretty fast. Books were everywhere. Oh my
gosh, what a mess. I don't let anyone drive my Bookmobile
anymore."
Peterson said he also plans on holding off on retirement
because his wife, a secretary at Spring Creek Middle
School in Providence, is younger than he is and isn't
ready to retire. When he does retire, however, he said
he will be able to fill his time with hobbies like traveling
and compiling family videos on his computer.
"I have a lot of hobbies and a lot of ideas," Peterson
said."When you're retired, you have time to do them
all."
Peterson and the Bookmobile stop at Wellsville Elementary
every other Monday and at the parking lot of the Wellsville
Tabernacle every Wednesday.
NW MK |
