Retiring library director reflects on memorable career
By GuestBy Bernard Mendillo
Mark Lague is like a rare book nestled in the library he loves. Unlike most Americans, who typically have four or five distinct careers in a lifetime, Mark set his mind to be a librarian and never looked back.
“It’s been a 40-year career that I wouldn’t change for anything in the world,” Lague said.
Library Director Mark Lague
That career, of course, has been as director of the Canton Public Library, a position he will retire from on August 10 after 40 years of guiding every aspect of the library.
As most people now realize, libraries are no longer just about books. Lague immersed himself in that changing world and ushered in new technology, community outreach programs, the Old Colony Library Network, the Friends of the Library, book groups, story hours, puzzle groups, game groups, quilting groups, coloring groups. Oh — and he survived a flood.
Lague, age 65, was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
“I’ve really only lived in two places,” he said, “and I’ve really only had one job.”
Well, that’s not entirely true.
For example, it took him three schools to get a high school diploma.
After parochial elementary school, he started at Our Lady of Providence, the preparatory seminary for Catholic priests.
“After two years, I decided to leave,” he said, “because I realized I was interested in science and girls.”
Not necessarily in that order.
So he transferred to Sacred Heart Academy in Pawtucket, and when they closed because the building was too old, he transferred to St. Raphael’s Academy.
After St. Ray’s, Lague went to Stonehill College and graduated with a BA in philosophy and a minor in comparative religions. He then earned a master’s degree in library science at the University of Rhode Island.
“I had worked part-time at the Pawtucket Public Library and in the Providence College Library while I was in school,” he said. “And one day, I realized that I had spent a large part of my life in libraries. My interests were so broad — science, art, literature. I could bring all of that together as a librarian. It was the perfect career for a generalist. As they say, it struck me like a flash of light.”
A library life it would be.
In the meantime, while at Stonehill, Lague met Susan Carroll, who was studying to be a teacher. They married three years after graduation.
“We have a 40-year career ourselves,” Lague says with a bit of a twinkle.
They have two children: Michelle, 38, who is a social worker at the VA Hospital in Northampton, where she lives with her partner, Jamie MacDonald; and Kevin, 35, who is a computer programmer for an online wellness company in Rhode Island. Kevin and his wife, Holly, have two little girls, Georgiana (Gigi), 4, and Gabriella (Gabby), 1.
When first married, Lague and his wife lived in Pawtucket; they moved into his parents’ house and cared for his mother after his father passed away. Today they live in Attleboro.
After a short stint at the Boyden Library in Foxborough, he saw a position as a staff librarian in technical services that was open in the Canton Public Library.
“I went for an interview and was hired,” he said. “I found it a much better managed library and I was very happy to be there.”
The director at that time was Jeanette MacDonald, and when she stepped aside in 1982 due to illness, Lague applied to be director.
“I didn’t get the position,” he said. “They promoted the children’s librarian, Cathy Stetson. She was wonderful at her job and great to work for. But, a year later, she decided to start a family and left the library.”
Lague applied again — and was hired. The rest, as far as Canton goes, is history.
Things began to happen.
“I had already had some meetings with other library directors, and I came up with the idea to start a library network,” Lague said.
Thus was born the Old Colony Library Network.
“There were nine libraries at the beginning,” he recalled. “We standardized electronic cataloguing, we were able to share resources and, of course, we implemented inter-library book loans. It was an accomplishment I’ve always been very proud of.”
A huge early focus in Canton, he said, was working with the schools. “We served students to a great extent — providing help with research and homework resources, and, of course, making sure we had ample copies of books that were required reading.”
Then came the Friends.
“In 1990, some people had mentioned the desire to create a Friends of the Library organization,” Lague said. “We did, and the Friends have been an indispensable help to the library. A great deal of all that we do is because of the Friends.”
More and more people; more and more services; more and more community groups.
“It was time to expand,” Lague said.
After resounding approval in a town referendum in 1999, the library raised a half-million dollars that was matched with a $2.6-million state grant.
Before ground could be broken, the books had to be moved!
“In stepped the Draper family,” Lague said, “who graciously allowed us to use space in Draper Mills. That was a big job! But we got it done and it worked very well.”
The new library fully reopened on December 1, 2003. Two weeks earlier, there had been a Grand Opening Family Day, attended by more than 3,000 residents.
“It was all going very well, indeed,” Lague said, “until January 12, 2004 — when the pipes burst.”
The HVAC system on the roof had an undetected flaw and a pipe burst and water flowed and flowed, down through the roof, through all the floors, and into the basement.
“It was quite discouraging,” Lague said, with remarkable calm. “We had worked so hard. Now we had to work hard again.”
The books had to be moved. Shelving taken out so all the carpet could be replaced. Everything cleaned. Everything put back.
“We got through it — with a great deal of help — and we reopened in stages over the next eight months,” Lague said.
On and on they went. Bigger and bigger. Better and better.
“Then,” Lague said, “it was time to retire. I have had a great run. I want to spend more time with Susan. We want to travel. Spend time with our children and grandchildren. We have a million house projects. I’ve developed an interest in Modern Buddhist Thought and in the neuroscience of meditation. Oh, and I have quite a lot of books to read!”
Lague says that he can’t help but smile as he thinks of the years. As he thinks of the people, the students, the little kids, the seniors, the readers, the web surfers, the group members, the casual users and the daily regulars.
“And the staff,” he said. “It starts and it ends with the staff. I am honored to have worked with so many wonderful and dedicated people. This is the way I see it: The best country, the best state, the best community, the best library, the best staff. It’s been my honor. It’s been my love.”
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