Pollard caps 34 years as library volunteer

Malcolm "Mac" Pollard is a member of the Friends of the Library board of directors, which supports the Erie County Library system. Pollard, 72, was photographed at the Lincoln Community Center library branch in Fairview Township on Aug. 1. GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

Correction

Malcolm "Mac" Pollard is an elder at Wayside Presbyterian Church. The Friends of the Library recently presented an award to Pollard for his years of service.


Mac Pollard's volunteer service is one for the books. He has served on the board of directors of the Friends of the Library for 34 years.


He is one of about 250 volunteers dedicated to support Erie County Library's five branches.


After he moved to Erie in 1980, Pollard, 72, who grew up in Akron, Ohio, visited Erie's public library when it was located on South Park Row and French Street.


"That place needed a lot of friends,'' Pollard said with a laugh about the antiquated library that was built in 1897. It was replaced in 1996 by Blasco Memorial Library on Erie's bayfront.


Friends of the Library raises funds, primarily from its annual book sale in June, for such things as computers and book programs. The annual sale raises about $30,000.


Pollard, a lawyer and a certified public accountant, volunteers primarily at Fairview's Lincoln Community Center library branch, which opened in 2011.


The Friends recently presented him with a framed print for his years of service. Pollard and Ginny, his wife of nearly 50 years, plan to retire and move to Florida. They have three children and six grandchildren.


"It's nice to be appreciated for your time and dedication,'' Pollard said.


"Mac does an outstanding job and is the treasurer for us,'' said Marcy Bencivenga, president of the Friends' board of directors. "We have many outstanding volunteers that help people get hooked on the library.''


Pollard, whose first name is actually Malcolm -- "I became Mac when I was at Ohio State'' -- earned a master's degree in accounting at Kent State University and a jurist doctorate at the University of Akron.


"I worked as a CPA in New York City, which has a great library system, then came to Erie and worked for AMSCO (American Sterilizer) before they reorganized in 1990. I left and started working for myself,'' Pollard said.


He jumped at the opportunity to aid a library system in a state that was then lackluster in terms of funding.


"Friends of the Library is a value-added program,'' Pollard said. "We have two functions. One is raising money, the other is to disburse it for various things. The county and the state allocate $2 million, so our contribution is like a drop in the bucket." But he said the funds take care of items that people want, but are not in the budget


Pollard's longtime friend Bob Gallivan, also a past Friends president, said the state upped the ante to support libraries during Gov. Tom Ridge's administration.


"Pennsylvania was near the bottom of library systems, but now I'd say we're in the middle of the pack, and Erie is doing well with the improvements,'' Gallivan said.


"I'd like to think the Friends of the Library had a lot to do with it,'' Pollard said.


"People like Mac are always working behind the scenes and they are great contributors," Lincoln branch coordinator Ann Marie Pochedly said.


Pollard, who's also an elder in the Wayside Presbyterian Church and a judge in the Academic Sports League, said he doesn't keep track of his many hours of volunteer work, but is proud of the results.


As for his work with the Friends, he said, "A library card does a lot more now than just checking out books."


BOB JARZOMSKI can be reached at 870-1678 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNjarzomski .


 
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