The Banjo Librarian

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with librarian Suzanne Moore. The two met at a local farmer's market when Suzanne was playing the banjo (she refers to herself as an "amateur plucker") to promote the new Seed Library over at Wilkes County Public Library. Carl quickly realized that Suzanne was no "ordinary" librarian. Since childhood, Suzanne has had a deep passion for books, recalling having loaned her favorite reads to her friends regularly. She has always, by extension, had a love for people and community service, as well as an insatiable curiosity and openness to new ideas. So, it was no wonder that she chose the path that she did as an adult. Suzanne refers to the library as "the people's university." Not only is there no tuition, but there is also a level of freedom in navigating a library that is not found in adhering to a strict curriculum and paying for assigned textbooks. At the pandemic outbreak in early 2020, Suzanne touches on the pain she felt at temporarily shutting the library's doors. She remembers telling borrowers to "forget about the due dates" and the gradual steps they took to make their services available to the public once again, starting with curbside pickup to extending the library's Wi-Fi outdoors to offering virtual programs via Zoom. In many ways, the crisis paved the way for many opportunities and ideas that would not have emerged otherwise. For example, the local students, digital natives, have now been given access to the library through the gadgets they are intimately familiar with. What's more, the library has found more visitors since its doors were first closed. As Suzanne says, "We've seen an increase in library usage during the pandemic because folks that didn't have the opportunity to visit, maybe due to transportation barriers, were able to connect virtually." Carl and Suzanne go on to give their thoughts on the power of the written word—of the ability of an excellent book to develop a person's mental and emotional maturity, deepen one's appreciation of the humanities, and allow the past to come alive as a book serves as a window into the minds of great men and women. MORE FROM LIFE IN THE CAROLINAS: Award Winning Segments — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Brown Mountain Lights — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Car Culture in the Carolinas — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Carolina Theater Trail — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Christmas in the Carolinas — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Taste of the Carolinas — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Honoring Veterans — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas On Route 74 — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas The Outdoors — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas The Outer Banks — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Video Podcasts — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas Carl's Syndicated Columns — Carl White's Life in the Carolinas  

Om Podcasten

Welcome to the Life in the Carolinas Podcast. Our show features a blending of stories that are primarily based on the syndicated TV show, Carl White's Life in the Carolinas and newspaper columns written by Carl White. Like Carl often says, "It's never a bad time for a good story!" The podcast is hosted by Carl and features specials guests as they share the stories behind the stories. All too often we simply do not have enough time to share everything we would like during broadcast. This podcast will allow us the opportunity to share more information and allow our viewers and readers a chance to get to know our guests more intimately. The Carolinas offer some of the finest people, landscapes, and opportunities to explore. We have traveled to the high elevations for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games which are considered to be among the best in the nation. We discovered the beauty of the brackish Waccamaw River and learned about the massive live oaks that predate the founding of America. In Gold Hill, NC we made a connection with the past and learned about the early days of gold mining in America. We were more than intrigued with a visit to the historic Wilcox Hotel in Aiken, SC and the stories of the Roosevelt Suite. Are the stories true? It's fun to think about the possibilities. Did you know Edgefield, SC was the home of ten South Carolina Governors and that the world-renowned Jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie was from Cheraw, SC? What about those mysterious Brown Mountain Lights in the North Carolina Mountains? They have kept people guessing for hundreds of years. Do you know what they are? The stories are abundant and only limited by how many tomorrows we have for their telling. Join us as we share our stories, traditions, charm, and southern hospitality.