By Adler Karle
For Capital Region Independent Media
Editor’s Note: The Greenville Pioneer is pleased to present journalistic works by students from Greenville High School. Check out upcoming issues as we will continue to offer a platform to the community’s aspiring young journalists.
GREENVILLE — Carol Schreiber’s roots run deep in Greenville, with her family owning Baumann’s Brookside Resort for over 100 years. However, a contribution to the community some people may not recognize is her service as a trustee on the Greenville Public Library board, a position from which she recently stepped down after 34 years.
During her time on the board, Schreiber was well-respected. Her integrity and sense of community made significant contributions to the library, her supporters said.
Joan Smith, a friend and former trustee, said the library has “gone through hard times” and needs people like Carol “who are honest.”
Schreiber’s honesty is her greatest strength, Smith said.
“We needed it during that time,” Smith said.
Smith also noted that Schreiber is “an asset to the community and she believes in Greenville and recognizes that it’s such a great place to live.”
Melissa Palmer, a close friend and fellow trustee, said Schreiber brought a “sense of long-time commitment and investment into the community.”
Schreiber has a deep love for the library and explained it has an important role to play in the community by providing access to books, digital books, DVDs and Wi-Fi. Although COVID-19 hurt the library, Carol said, “Everyone on the board has worked so hard to keep it going and open — they are almost back where they used to be.”
Schreiber was in charge and contributed to many projects at the library with her most notable one being the addition to the library that was built in 2007. She was in charge of fundraising and planning for the project. The library is also on the National Historic Register, which meant there were specific rules the library had to follow when doing the renovation.
For the last 20 years, Schreiber also made fliers for fundraisers for the library such as the Brooks barbecues, spring luncheons and fall luncheons.
“Carol was a strong asset to the board and her input and historical knowledge of the library will be missed,” Schreiber’s fellow board member and friend Margaret Finch, a Greenville resident, said.
Finch also expressed gratitude to Schreiber for all her years of dedication.
Schreiber decided to become a trustee when a former member of the board became ill and asked her to fill her position. This made her fall in love with being on the board. Schreiber also served as president of the board for five years.
Schreiber said she decided to step down from the board due to her age and said she hopes the younger generation might fill her shoes so the library can continue being an important part of the community.
“We need some younger people as trustees and on the board,” Schreiber said.