OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – “I didn’t expect it to be the change its ended up being.” Carnegie mayor Johnnie Goergen talking about the Carnegie Library and the dynamo force revitalizing it, Robin Dietrich. And it’s not just the mayor talking. Everyone in Carnegie, including the town’s unofficial historian Judy Spence, is singing Robin’s praises.

“She organized an Oklahoma history area,” Spence told us. “She organized a school area where you can come in you can look at the senior annuals. You can find your parents. Your grandparents.”

Robin has breathed new life into the kids area of the library with a junior section..a teen section..a place for them to sit and branch out into reading and visiting with each other in the library. 

Because of all Robin has done to resurrect the towns library, her friend Jenny Vincent nominated Robin for News Four’s Pay It Forward Award sponsored by First Fidelity Bank. Ryan Free with the bank supplied the 400 dollars and told us “  “We love supporting people like Robin who are involved in something as great as the library.” 

When Jenny and I and a host of her other friends surprised Robin at the Carnegie Library with the 400-dollar award, Jenny told her,  “You have made a world of difference to the library, to our community and to our kids. The programs you have set up have been tremendous and I know they will go forward from that.” Robin, with tears in her eyes, said “Thank you so much…you guys this means so much I am so moved. Jenny, thank you so much…thank you everybody. I love it here.”

 Then it was hugs all around for a lady with a passion to make reading and friends gathering an important chapter of her beloved hometown.