Library drill team struts to second place

By Sophia Fischersfischer@theacorn.com

Thousand Oaks has many honors to its credit, and now it can add one more––an award-winning library drill team.

Last month, a group of Thousand Oaks librarians traveled to Chicago to take part in the first World Library Drill Team Competition, held at the annual conference of the American Library Association. Competing against 14 other teams from around the country, the Thousand Oaks group took second place, earning a full-sized silver book cart. In first place, earning a gold cart, was the University of Wisconsin School of Library and Information Science.

Wearing colorful Western-style costumes and pushing book carts decorated to look like horses, the 12 women from Thousand Oaks were led by Chris Hendel, drill team majorette and Newbury Park branch library services supervisor.

“We had the most colorful, puttogether look of all of the teams,” Hendel said.

One of the highlights of the group’s four-minute routine came when Hendel gave the signal for the team to fan out in a straight line, then rear their cart horses and yell, “Read,” as if neighing.

“All of the routines were wonderful,” Hendel said. “There were a lot of athletic things going on with back flips. Some were absolutely hilarious, while others had a great sense of rhythm.”

The purpose of the drill team is to promote literacy and library use as well as to dispel the old myth that librarians are dowdy, dour old ladies, Hendel added.

“We are trying to let communities know we do have a sense of humor,” Hendel said. “We also want people to come and use the library. It is a great resource.”

Made up of staff from all areas of the library, entry to senior levels, the group rehearsed for nearly four months to prepare. Library patrons may have seen the team performing in the Conejo Valley Days parade or practicing in front of the library on Tuesday mornings.

“We get a lot of questions from people coming to return books,” Hendel said.

To help pay for the cost of the trip, the team raised $7,000 by asking local businesses to “adopt” a cart horse. Staff used vacation time to go on the trip.

“We are thankful to the community for allowing us to go,” Hendel said.

The team hopes to compete again at next year’s library conference in New Orleans. In the meantime, their winning silver cart will be on display at the main library.