Warren Leib Retires From Pulaski Library Board Of Directors After Dedicating His Life To Education, Literacy

PULASKI, NY – A library is more than just a building filled with books. A library is a place where literacy is preserved, protected and practiced, and no public library would exist without the contributions of many citizens to whom reading is of paramount importance.

Warren Leib is a person who has dedicated his life to education and literacy, and with his retirement from the Pulaski Library Board of Directors, he can now look back on the many contributions he has made to the intellectual improvement of the community.

Born in Saranac Lake, New York, in 1937, Leib received his first of many credentials, a bachelor of Science in Education from SUNY Potsdam in 1959. He would receive many more degrees and certifications over the following years, including the completion of Emergency Medical Technician training in 1977.

During his long career in education Leib held a plethora of positions, including but not limited to teacher, principal, supervisor, business administrator and coach. Leib served as superintendent of Pulaski Academy and Central School from 1979 to 1994. An individual with this amount of experience in education would make an ideal candidate for the Library Board of Directors, and Leib successfully filled and enjoyed this role for twenty five years.

An investment of time and effort at this level of commitment would clearly indicate that Leib places a high value on literacy.

“Literacy is so important in life… I think that people sometimes don’t realize how important it is to be able to read and understand completely what you are reading,” Leib said. “Being on the library board, I helped make some of the decisions that led to the library’s resources being available to more people… I saw working within the library system as an opportunity to help increase the value and level of literacy in the community.”

Warren also served the North Country Library System for ten years, three of those as president, and his experience in finance and human resources proved to be invaluable to the library and the board.

“He challenged us to move forward in technology and program and to lead and support other libraries in their quests to do the same, and his many years on the board have helped make the Pulaski Public Library a vital part of the community,” said Margaret Weigel, who spent 21 years as Director of the Pulaski Library.

This discovery would put the wheels in motion, leading to education and employability, and a successful life journey. Literacy, libraries and education are woven together in the fabric of Leib’s philosophy of community service.

“The library is a place where students would find things that are attractive and important to them,” Leib said. “The students and staff that I worked with over the years were the highlight of my career, I really enjoyed the people that I met along the way.”

Taking a leadership role came easily to Warren, an attribute that would serve him well over the length of his career.

“I was the first male to teach in the Port Leyden Elementary School, and being the only male in the building, the female teachers looked to me for advice from a different perspective,” Leib said.

Leib has contributed his time to many facets of the Pulaski community, including organizations such as the Pulaski Service Club, PROP (Preservation and Revitalization of Pulaski), The Salmon River Fine Arts Center, and volunteering with the Northern Oswego County Ambulance as an EMT.

Never one to sit still for too long, Leib is enjoying an active retirement, keeping busy with the activities of his eight children, and of course, following the New York Yankees, a team he has cheered on for 75 seasons. His many contributions to the Pulaski community have made it a better place to live and learn.

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