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A La Porte County Life in the Spotlight: Don Glossinger

Don-GlossingerThe Michigan City Public Library’s staff and frequenting patrons are ecstatic to have Don Glossinger as their Director. A proud vice president of the Sinai Temple and Lions Club, Glossinger’s role as a director in the library is not the only tie to the community he has made. Although, he sits on the advisory board for both the Sinai Temple and Lions Club, his first love will always be the library.

“The library has always been important to me. It was a place to go even if you didn’t have money; you could still get information that you needed. We’ve always had that role and we hope to keep it.”

When the former library was open, Glossinger applied for a work study job while attending PNC. He worked for the reference center on three different occasions and could not wait to return to his job each time. In 1990, he landed a supervisor job prior to finishing his Bachelor’s degree, which he was very thankful for. All his hard work and dedication paid off and he couldn’t be any happier with the results.

“I value knowledge so much. It got me out of poverty and a very bad situation. I’m the first person in my family to get a college degree. It took me 14 years, so I know when I hear people say ‘knowledge is power’, I truly know that. If not for this library, if not for acquiring knowledge and using that knowledge, I could not have bettered my life. That is my hope with people who come here, to better their lives as well.”

Through the library, Glossinger also attended graduate school at Indiana University South Bend and IU Northwest. He is still grateful for the opportunity to become a professional at the Michigan City Public Library.

“Having your Master’s degree in Library Science allows you to do all the things in the library you want to do to be a librarian. I’ve been a page, a clerk, a supervisor, a department head, an assistant director and now a director. It’s really good training to know how the business works and how to talk to the people involved.”

Glossinger’s employees are proud to have him as their Director as well as a friend. His very understanding nature allows those who are working to use their talents and make the day run smoothly. Also, their helpful natures allow patrons to approach them easily.

An employee appreciation breakfast is held once a year under the direction of Glossinger.

Quality of life is not determined by the books and what the library has to offer, it’s the “culture of kindness” that staff members share with members of the community.

“The staff has to have quality of life and I have to do what I have to do to make life good for the people who work here and deliver the service. We treat them as well as we can treat them and do as much for them as we can do. They in turn will be happy, relaxed, have high morale and they will turn around and treat patrons well.”

The Michigan City Public Library’s futuristic building was designed by Helmut John from Germany which makes this destination a must experience site. From its many informational and entertaining programs to tutoring possibilities, the library helps everyone find the knowledge they need to make their lives better.