The library is a central part of many students’ lives at State High. From early in the morning to after school ends in the afternoon, it offers a space where students can access endless information. However, the library will look a little different next year. After 31 years of serving as a librarian, Dr. Cathi Fuhrman retired at the end of last school year.
Fuhrman’s career did not begin in the library. She began college after graduating from high school, but left without graduating and worked in sales for seven years. After meeting her husband, she decided to return to school to get her degree in library science at Millersville University. Her first job as a librarian was as a middle school librarian in the Hempfield School District, where she worked for five years before becoming the department supervisor for the district.
Fuhrman continued her schooling throughout her time at Hempfield and obtained a master’s in library science from Drexel University and a doctorate in curriculum and technology from the University of Delaware. The library has been a constant through Fuhrman’s life, and her experience as a library helper in middle school and high school drew her to the career.
“I saw all the inner workings of a library. It’s not just about checking books in and out. We didn’t have any computers back then; we did everything by hand. But I saw the way in which the school librarian taught research classes. I saw a way in which we borrowed material from other libraries. I saw the way in which they did inventory and manage the library,” Fuhrman said. “It was amazing to watch how much was going on in that library. And even myself, as a student, I used the library for more than just reading and research. It was just a place that I wanted to be all the time.”
After 27 years in the Hempfield School District, an opportunity opened up at State High. Fuhrman took a leap of faith and never looked back. Mark Morath, co-librarian with Fuhrman, spoke about the expertise Fuhrman brought to the school.
“Dr. Furman came to State High with an excessive amount of experience on the state [and] national level, as well as being a former administrator of libraries and a practicing school librarian for over 20 years. One of the most lasting memories I have is how humble she was despite that. She was excited to get involved with all things library, incorporating every corner of the school,” Morath said.
Throughout her career, Fuhrman has focused on making the library as impactful as possible for as many students as possible. Much of that work is behind the scenes, from reading books and reviews to deciding how to best maximize the library space. Morath explained the work Fuhrman puts in day in and day out.
“Dr. Fuhrman’s nonstop. She sees every facet of the position of being a librarian and looks to incorporate and attack all of [it]. Every single student is different. You all bring different things to the table, which means to meet all those needs, we need to be ready, and Dr. Fuhrman is ready- no matter who you are, what your interests are, what courses you’re taking. She wants to be there to help you through the process and wants every student to [succeed],” Morath said.
Fuhrman’s prowess in the library has opened doors to various other professional opportunities. Her career has included terms as the president of the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association, chair of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), and she is currently the Councilor at Large of the AASL board of directors. Fuhrman was also a 2015-16 Lilead Fellow, an intensive leadership training of 25 top librarians that she called, “one of the biggest professional growth experiences I’ve had.”
Through her professional development opportunities, Fuhrman has learned that a vital part of her leadership is, “Knowing that I can pay it forward, anything that I’ve learned, any of my view, my lens, things that I know about students, anything that I learn in my day-to-day job, to help other school librarians or other librarians.”
Fuhrman is always looking for ways to help students and has been a service to every person who stepped into the State High library.
While she is sad to go, Fuhrman looks back fondly on her time at State High.
“It is the best school that I’ve ever had any exposure to. It is a welcoming, inclusive school, from the administrators to the faculty to all of the staff here, to the students, to the community and to the parents,” Fuhrman said. “State College feels big, I guess, because of the university, and there’s so many college students here, but it really feels small. It feels like a community, and I have never encountered anyone with a feeling of ‘I’m not wanted here.’ I’m not part of the group. I’m an outsider. I didn’t grow up here. I didn’t live here before I started working here, and so it was just complete open arms for everybody across the board.”
