Retired UNC professor Works to Build a Library For New Jefferson High School

Mary Behling has always Had a passion for reading. ? She'll read five or six stories at once, from one Alternating Thurs Another book, Whatever Suits her mood at the time.

She has always Had a passion for youth, too.

So "when she found out Jefferson High School That Did not have a library, she decided Needed Thurs someone step up and change that.

Now, the 80-year-old former Physical Education Instructor Finds herself up to her neck in books, something she said she is more than just nudged have ever expected.

"I can not believe all the people That Called me and have donated? Books," she said. "And people are still calling."

Currently, the shelves in the library are bare, except "some text books and" some really old hand-me-downs from a middle school. But the school does have an Agreement with High Plains Library District Where Their students CAN choose books from an online catalog and the library delivers the books to the school.

But That Is Still Not Enough for Behling.

"These kids do not need one more thing Thurs Knock Them Down," she said. "If Any kids need a library, These kids do. I Want Them To Have the best school library in town. "

Behling, WHO was a professor at the University of Northern Colorado for 29 years Until She Took an early retirement in 1987, Went to the Congregation at her church, First Congregational Church of Greeley, and asked Them Thurs help her give the teens at Jefferson Their own library.

Behling spoke to the Congregation DURING a period Somewhere parishioners are asked if there is anything They want to Share, joys or Concerns.

"I just Told Them I was Concerned About Them Not Having a library. I Told Them What I was going to do about it and asked Them Thurs pitch in, "she said. "I Told Them All of us Senior Citizens are going to Have to downsize at" some point, and the Hardest thing to get rid of is your books. But if you know They are going to a good cause it's easy to part with Them. "

Jefferson Principal Chris Ingram said she was Amazed at what Behling wanted to do "when she first approached her about the idea.

"This is great," Ingram said. "We've got some books, But They are all leftovers more for middle school students. They aren't what a High School Student Needs. "

But Behling Will not Stop with Just the books. Also she wants to find people with experience librarian Thurs Their donate time to help catalog and index the books. In Addition, the school doesn't have a librarian, so she'd like to see someone just wants WHO to Work a few hours a week Be Able to Work out an arrangement with the district Thurs help out.

And finally, she really Wants To replace a dictionary That is so old, the pages are yellowing and brittle.

"Just look at That thing," she said. "That is horrendous."

She said her only fear Is that people begin donating books That Are Not Age-Appropriate or are too worn.

"People ask me all the time what kind of books They want," she said. "The idea behind this is Thurs Stimulate the student. We'll take fiction, non-fiction, reference, picture, Anything That Is in good condition and stimulates Their Minds. Some KIDS CAN BE YEE through books That Can not Be YEE In Other Ways. "