Some people get a gold watch after 20 years of dedicated service.
Meyera Oberndorf got a library.
"We knew we wanted to honor her, and this fits her to a T," Virginia Beach City Councilman James Wood said Wednesday after the Virginia Beach Central Library officially was renamed the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library as a tribute to the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.
Oberndorf's love of libraries dates more than 60 years, to the days when she spent her summers reading about famous people in the children's section of the West Avenue Library in Newport News.
"People like Clara Barton and Harriet Tubman. And men, too, like Abraham Lincoln," Oberndorf
said. "All these people did great things. And I would lie there and think, 'Meyera, if you were in this situation, what would you do?' "
The library system in Virginia Beach consisted of "two branches and a bookmobile" when Oberndorf began her public service career on the library board.
Today, there are 12 branches, and the Central Library - which opened the same year (1988) that Oberndorf became mayor - boasts more than 287,000 books, DVDs, CDs and other materials.
It attracted nearly 600,000 visitors last year.
"Look at what we have now," Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms said. "It's the envy of every city in Hampton Roads. She deserves this wonderful library."
The library is now filled with memorabilia detailing the highlights of Oberndorf's career, and she said just seeing the sign trumpeting the library's new name gave her goose bumps.
"I was almost as excited as the day I became Mrs. Roger Oberndorf," she said. "This is one of the highlights of my life."
Oberndorf, 68, said she keeps busy with volunteer duties, something she said has given her life a nice symmetry.
"It's as though I've come full circle," she said.
"I started out volunteering, and now I'm back at it with a lot of wonderful causes. And that's perfect because for me, it's always been about community."
Paul White, (757) 418-1447, paul.white@pilotonline.com
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johns
When you follow your own advice I will too! I don't care what you call the Library. It would be more fitting to rename a one-way street after her though.
Tribute to Meyera
I think this is a wonderful tribute and very well deserved.
Ahh the negativity...
You all really should focus more effort on the important things in life then posting lame comments. Worry about yourselves and work on getting yourself into a better position in life. You wonder why the media is so negative, just look at you people, no a glimmer of hope in any of you. Get on with your boring life and if you have nothing positive to say, don't say anything at all. Didn't your parents teach you anything?
Congrats
I was never a fan of the former Mayor, however, after all the years of service I think it's a well deserved tribute. Good for her.
Have they removed all of the
Have they removed all of the books on ethics?
what is wrong with people??
Your mother of Virginia Beach, are you kidding (child abuse). What did she do for US, I mean unless you are rich or wanted to build, she had no time or interest with you! She lied to BRAC and she did nothing to improve Virginia Beach, unless we paid for it. She kept winning because like someone said the election was in May, and people never knew about it. Keep in mind the last two times she won, it was with 2000 votes, and how many people live in Virginia Beach. She acted the part of small town Hero, but all she ever did was make it to ribbon cutting ceremonies and if something important happened or tragic, her hubby stepped in! She scammed you all!!! Name nothing after her, and if it comes up it better be a vote, since we have to pay for the new sign!! Oh, and the salary, she really didn’t need it, being Mayor gave her something to do, and a title!!
Congratulations!
Meyera will always be the mayor of our hearts!
THE Jewish mother of Virginia Beach!
Library
Does it have a large section of books and DVDs in Spanish?
"My 2 Cents", "Santa" & Other Nay Sayers
You all need to get a life, stop and smell the roses, whatever. This is a fitting tribute to woman who dedicated 3 decades of her life to the city. She worked a full time job for a token salary with no benefits or retirement (but all your part-time delegates and senators in Richmond do get these benefits).
Your candidates (Moss, Dean, etc.) keep losing elections because they do not represent the majority of the people.
Virginia Beach is a great place to live because of people like Mayor Oberndorf. If you don't like it, feel free to move.
WOW!
Congatulations,what an accomplishment.
Waste of money as usual just like Sessom's choo choo train.
Waste of money as usual just like Sessom's choo choo train. Remember she was voted out of office because she was doing a horrible job. Hopefully, Sessoms will be voted out before he does any more damaage to the Beach.
Myra we miss you
What a great honor for such a noble lady.The City will not be the same without you.Your dedication to your beloved City is unsurpassed.The many charities you have supported such as Special Olympics to name one wishes you God Speed Lady.I still have a picture of you at the Christmas Party for Special Olympics Where I was Santa and my daugher was on one knee and you on the other.We were both a lot younger then.Once again thank you for your service.
What a Waste
Just like Virginia Beach to waste perfectly good tax payer money to make a new sign for a the Central library. Did the tax payers have any say in the decision? NOPE!!!! When will our elected officials decide to use their brains? This is a valuable lesson for our youth.... how to waste money 101. Too often we hear about the deficit, how the beach can't afford to improve roads, the schools can't get the money they need,..... but low and behold we have the money for totally idiotic stuff like this. Makes me so proud to say I live in the beach........... NOT!!!!!!!!!
WHAT ???
Meyera does deserve this tribute. However I am so glad she is not Mayor of Va Beach anymore. Although her replacement leaves a lot to desire.
phony!!!
She deserves nothing!!! She spent 20 years letting her buddies build, build and build and make money costing US money! She is a phony, and cared only about HER PET PROJECTS! Why anyone would name anything after here is beyond me! If this city needs a HERO look at your firefighters and police, the TROLL was nobody special and I wish she would leave!!!!
The ONLY reason she served
The ONLY reason she served 20 years is cause the Election for Mayor were never held on the same date as National Elections so people didnt want to go out and vote.
And what do you know the very 1st time it was and people were actually out voting in those National elections she lost.
I appreciate her service but her time was really up Long Long ago.
Good Grief !
Maybe we should've called the Library "M.W.O.T.D" as in More Waste of Tax Dollars. Meyra just collected a paycheck the last 10 yrs. and did nothing to change this area except parade for the Navy Jets to stay at Oceana (more noise) and then attempted to lobby to get a 5-star Hotel at the Oceanfront. WHO was going to pay for that? Not tourists or the Military....take a wild guess. LOCALS!
The library should be called "Sit-Back and Do Nothing Public Library".
Well Deserved
Congratulations Mayor!
Well Done
She deserves this honor. Maybe she can sell that pile of metal out front that some people call art. We paid $100.000 for it. We could have purchased an additional 80,000 books with this money.
It's a good start, but Council can do more to honor her.
I am glad that City Council has honored Mayor Oberndorf by naming the Central Library after her. That make sense because she is a strong advocate for the Libraries - and learning. I'd also like to see one of the streets near City Hall named after her. I feel that is appropriate given the historical nature of her long tenure as our first elected Mayor. Under her term as mayor Virginia Beach evolved into an amazing city. Meyera chose to make serving the city her fulltime job. Her devotion to serving the City is commendable. She invested a lot of time representing our city at local events and making herself accessable to everyone. One aspect of Mayot Oberndorf's character that I have always appreciated is her genuine love for our city - and for each new generation of young people that grow up within its borders. Perhaps naming a new High School after her might be a good idea?