AuSABLE FORKS — Susanna Carey is the new director of AuSable Forks Free Library.

Carey takes the place of former Director Carole Osborne, who left the position after being offered a more permanent job at The Gap clothing store in Lake Placid.

Carey, 24, received her master's degree in library science from Drexel University and was a former volunteer for the public library.

"This was a Christmas present that came early," she said of becoming the new director. "I loved volunteering here, and I loved being in this local library working with the public on a daily basis."

Carey said she wants to make the library a "safe haven" for the AuSable community. In order to do this, Carey plans to create a weekly children's story hour. Earlier this month, the library held its first story hour, when "Mrs. Claus" came to the library to read to the community's youth.

On top of this, Carey plans to clean out an office located in the back of the building in order to place the library's Adirondack collections within its walls. She hopes that this room will become a place where customers can sit, relax and read the most interesting collections the library has to offer.

"That's probably going to be a spot where people can just escape and get away."

Nowadays, libraries aren't the only place where people can obtain knowledge and information. They can now simply surf the Web to find any type of information that is needed. Even Carey admits to doing most of her graduate-school work online.

Nevertheless, she said, the Internet will not cause libraries to become obsolete. Instead, the functions of libraries just have to change with the times.

"The core of libraries is still in its books," she said. "But I think they have changed from a place where you go to simply get something to read. Now, you can go in and get a book, use the computer to check your e-mail and grab a movie. You can multi-task in the library now."

Because libraries will evolve with the times, they will be needed just as much as they were 50 years ago, Carey said. With demands for computers and Internet access, libraries have to progress in order to meet the needs of the public.

And as a former volunteer, Carey has seen the library grow over the decades it has been a part of the community. Now, it is her turn to make it transform even more.

"The library has already been established (in the community), so I just want to continue with what it's been and hope it grows."