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~__. ~ . y .. .. _ ._ mar/fir _1 WM UNA)“(leRUNIClL-Wulnesday. start-hat, Aim-3 1 “m --_, . 3 .. a- , lmfigfia \VW l 't a“? ’ti :o‘ ammonium: “H" Q‘T.°_l ”EWToSceadCoinniNmFun " s . M u................ EMMA!- Sm -WM 519.519.4110 _WUa4 29 Scott St. Kitchener 5|9â€"742-9l81 Cl ' th , 08111 e 00 i g i Former chief librarian doesn’t rule out a run for the mayor’s chair this fall BY (Immm‘ri PRoNt. PARKHIU H y," . “a? " W the \W‘WMCA and now has five settlement 7 7 . 7 7_( “jinglfjflj . Hr )) . , fit a ' workers who are at the two libraries almost a . "1’ J! I . V .. full time. offering services to newcomers in a itli the shock ol being suddenly tired . ‘ “,4 â€" ‘ ‘ .I 7‘" wide range of languages. 'lhat dovetails nice/ Wittire than twu months behind her, ' R ' ‘ ly with another project. In partnership Wllh former Waterloo Public library (l0 . t ’ . ' " ‘& ,. the University of Waterloo # Newcomers (athy Marya». is exploring the options for her ’ f‘ " Waterloo Region. an lnternet portal that itiltlrt'. 3' I ". {-3, provides digital services. And she's not ruling otit a run at a council ’ . l' ‘1 ,t‘ 95 a»? Maty‘as said one of the key roles public seat. or exert the mayor’s chair. F f} a i . . libraries provide today is bridging the digital “I‘m taking some time to think about ' é ‘ fl ‘ ‘ ‘ fr- '1 divide. but contrary to popular belief. about What I want to do and where 1 want to do it." i .c‘ " “ . ' fit ' I \- kg 80 per cent of their business is still in loan- MaIy'iis said in an interview at her Waterloo .3 fi‘, ’ " fl ‘ ‘ ’ ingout ptitit resources. home “i knois lwani tostay here " <4 ' ' r W. ; ‘ 5 Her vision of a public library as more she's been contacted by other library 7 u 5 : ‘ _.. “"7 g , , than stacks of books was cemented with her boards and tillered positiotis elsewhere. She , _ .. . 7.. L- 1: ~._ “ first job tit the North York Public Library‘s could teach. She could write. hhe could eveti ) ' ’ :1 1 3' . . i” ‘ 2-, ‘ lane and l‘illL‘h branch back in the '80s: The retire ‘ ; v" w. K , neighbourhood was facing a lot of chal- "l'ni thinking, what would I enioy dotrig ‘ y it? _ : _.. :41: letiges, including a high immigrant popula» next? Where can 1 make a contribution? l :3. . “‘_“‘.i;"$id:5 \ tiori. low literacy levels and a dearth of activA don‘t have to run to the next hit). I can make 3: 1;» . t .F.‘ “#233 ities for kids. , _ _ , . . . t *1 , a s» . . sure I m doing the right thing, and politics is y ‘ 3:.» 73:1 ‘ , -.»' . " lhe people that worked there were great orieoption among all ofthat," she said. is"); y " teachers oi how the library could have a Maty'as is still considering factors such as - social role that wasn‘t inst about loaning out i the amount oi money required to mount a e , books and providing information." Matyas l campaign. and talking to people who haw ) _ . _ ,. said. i been in office about their experience. V I a Q , gm....;>.:;§' "You could Connect kids, in particular, to l "You have to want to do the [ob every day a better future and you could make a differ- l tor the next four years after that if you do enccin terms oftheirlife.” win," Matyas said “You have to make sure Her own parents were immigrants who it's a job you want to do ~ the ups and came to lorotito after the Second World War downs. from what was then Liechoslovakia. "Politics is a liigrlime tommilment lt‘s "like a lot of secoiidrgeiieration (,anadir ‘ not a popularity totitesl You don't make ans, my story is very typital My parents . i-iery‘body happy \oii have to believe you're worked hard to give their kids a good start iii going to do something better tor the com More than two months after being fired from from the Waterloo Public Library, Cathy Matyas life. were very focused on education. and mutiny ” isn‘t sure what the future holds for her. but she wants to stay In the City started, really, with nothing." she said. ln addition to her si'\cti years at the WP! , "*‘”“"'" ”WWW“ ”M“ looking to her future is a little CdSIL‘r with \latvas has t otitrihuted her time anti expert selling. past president of the Ontario Public “l'm fine. The glass is definitely lléllfrfllll," the support she has received from the corn ist- to myriad community organi/ations and library Association. and has lent her time to she said. "I feel so appreciative of the fact munity in her recent past. initialiyes sini e slH‘ moved to Waterloo iii a variety of ( ommittees including llptowii that l could be treated locally. Often. [could "his a community that expects things to 100.! Vision. Intelligent Waterloo. leadership walk from the library to the hospital for my be transparent and expects to discuss why "A big part ol' my time was not in the Waterloo Region and the United Way among treatment. And the quality of care that l got things happen," she said. "So l wasn't really library. or shuffling paper." she said others. there wasnutstanding." surprised that when l was fired. and no "\ lot of my time was spent out iii the But perhaps her most personal volunteer Matyas has also had time to reflect on her explanation was given, that people asked 7 tilllllllllllll\ den-lopiiig partnerships, talking experience has been her position on the seven years at the Wl’l and talked about and expected there to be some transparency to people about what the library could do. board oftlirectorsat (irand River Hospital some of her achicvetiients there, including or sortie act oiintahlltry" sitting on boards and ioniinittt-es so that " l'liat was very mirth a response to going reciprocal borrowing agreements wrth all of Matyas has been encouraged by people there was an opportunity to share what the through cancer treatments .. where one the region's libraries. as well as other agree who believe the same skills she used to library tould bring to the table of other minute I was a perfectly healthy person and merits reaching as far its Perth (purity and mobili/e the library tan be put to good use organi/atiotis. and what they ioiild do for the next moment l was diagnosed Willi can Brantford, in the municipal arena us " (er " ”We looked at it as. we don't have to heal] "My vieiv is that Waterloo is a great coin Matias ( urn-nth sits on the board ol the Diagnosed with breast rant er in Joni». things to till people.” she said ”We tan do munity. and there are great things going on Waterloo ( ount\ Hall oi lame and the \1atyas iindt-ruent two surgeries. radiation. more With many. we ( an build partner here." she said ‘i'yaterloo llornt ultiiral Nit |l‘l\ she is a past tlieniotlii'rapy. iiiiiiiiinotht-rapv and onin ships ” “:\iiil maybe at the .idiiiinistration levt‘l. 1 board lill‘llllit'l til Kilt llt'lil‘l \VaierloiM (itiii trig after late llil‘ \‘tv’l’l i|l\1)ttt‘.llt‘ii ri partiterslitpysitli we ( aii do more. or we can teat it higher " i | ‘ i L... 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