Steve Harsin is the library director for the Grand Marais Public Library, replacing the retired Linda Chappell. Harsin has worked in libraries since 1982. His last job was head librarian in Cook, Minnesota. A lover of books and people, Harsin said he wanted to live in Grand Marais since he discovered it as a 17-year-old stopping here after a Canadian fishing trip.
Born and raised his first half dozen years in Spencer, Iowa, the town that had the most famous library cat in the world, Dewey ReadMore, Steve Harsin, the new Grand Marais library director was probably born for this type of work.
“Did you know Dewey?” I asked.
“Nope. Although my parents took me to the library a lot when I was growing up,” he answered.
“Have you read the book?”
“Uh, no. No I haven’t,” he said with a laugh.
It’s about one of the only books he hasn’t read—or heard on audiotape.
When he was 17 years old, Harsin spent a day in Grand Marais with a buddy. They were coming back from a fishing trip in Canada and taking a day of rest.
“I decided at that time that I wanted to move to Grand Marais. When this position came up I applied for it immediately. Getting this job has allowed me a fulfillment of a lifetime dream,” he said.
Harsin comes from a head librarian position in Cook, Minnesota. He still has a small farm on Side Lake where he has raised chickens, goats and turkeys, as well as grows a garden.
Last year the library in Cook saw 12,560 people come through its doors. The library circulated 14,700 items. Over the same period the library in Grand Marais circulated 73,345 items.
“I knew the library here was a lot bigger, but I didn’t know it was that much busier,” Harsin said.
“One thing I would like to do is get a door counter here so we can tell exactly how many people come in here in a given year,” he said.
Harsin said he reads, but prefers audio books.
“As my glasses have gotten thicker, I read less and listen more,” he said.
Single, Harsin has a faithful companion in his dog Smoke, a 14-year-old mixed mutt he got from the animal shelter.
“I had a DNA test done on him to find out what he was. They determined that Smoke was 50 percent German shepherd, 25 percent cocker spaniel and 25 percent of all of the kids in the neighborhood.
“Smoke liked coming to the library in Cook. He got along great with young people and old people, but he did have his favorites. One guy who worked at the feed mill would come in after work and Smoke would always go sit next to him and keep him company.”
Talking about Smoke led to a discussion of therapy dogs. Patsy Ingebrigtsen, one of the many fine employees Harsin has inherited on his staff, is attempting to get a therapy dog to come to the Grand Marais library this summer.
“Therapy dogs are certified to be reading dogs. The dogs are trained to sit and listen as a child reads. The dog doesn’t judge the child and kids enjoy reading to them,” Harsin said, adding that a trainer is nearby and can help a child with a word if they are stuck.
Steve studied anthropology, archeology and Native American studies in college. Growing up he was a big fan of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries. “If it was mystery, I had my hands on it,” he said.
He also read books by Jim Kjelgaard and other authors who wrote about animals, and he still considers Sheep in a Jeep and CDB among his top 10 favorite books, although they go way back to when he was first learning to read.
“I also read the Odyssey many times; and I like a lot of new authors, especially Joe Hill, Stephen King’s son. I also love Tom Spanbaour who wrote The man who fell in love with the Moon. It’s another of my favorite books.”
Harsin has been working in libraries since 1982. “I’ve done a few other things, but this is my passion. I love helping people get connected to the resources they want. I love seeing people checking out books. People using the library.
“I know the library has just undergone a big expansion, so I won’t make changes right away. One of my strengths is to take the library outside of the building, to do an outreach. My first position was as an outreach librarian.
“And everywhere that I’ve been I have built a video collection. That is another strength for me.
“I have also spent a lot of time in purchasing, driving down the purchase cost, getting more for the money.”
Harsin said he loves winter, but even for him last winter was a bit much. He hasn’t purchased a home here yet, and although he loves his farm, he is considering other options.
“Part of me wants to get a condo, walk to work, walk to the co-op. I guess that also comes with my age,” he said.
Steve has written several children’s books. “They are about Smoke. I haven’t published them yet, but I will get around to that.” He also wrote for a publication in Virginia, Minnesota called Home Town Focus.
“Those stories were mostly about my little farm on Side Lake,” he said.
“Have you read Letters from Side Lake?” I asked him.
“Yes, my friend Pete wrote that. He’s got another book out that’s even better, Ghosts of the Fireground.”
Steve Harsin was correct when he said that he is passionate about books and the library. He left this reporter with a long list of authors, titles and names of narrators who read audio books (Davina Porter is one of his favorites). He loves to laugh and he loves people.
When Linda Chappell retired there was a hole to fill, a role to fill, a gap that seemed hard to close, but Steve Harsin, although different, will do a great job. After all, he’s from Spencer Iowa, the home of Dewey ReadMore. Maybe someday Smoke will be as famous, but if not, just as happy now that he too, is home.
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