STOCKTON, California — For the three daughters of 69-year-old Lorraina Harris, there was no getting around not wanting to read a book.
"She was going to introduce you to these books and then you would leave the library with a stack of books," daughter Bianca Harris said.
Harris spent 34 years working as a library aide in the City of Stockton's library system.
Her family said she passed away last week of natural causes.
It is believed she was the first African-American to be employed with the city to work in libraries.
She worked at the Airport Way and Maya Angelou library branches in Southeast Stockton.
She also worked at the Cesar Chavez Library in Downtown Stockton.
Her library career ended in 2007.
"She loved to help the children and all of us how to read, write. The main thing with her for us was reading books, and she really expressed that," said niece Carmen Marie Carr.
Former Stockton Librarian Alex Bailey worked with Lorraina for seven years. Bailey worked 26 years as a librarian in Stockton.
"Lorraina was groundbreaking, working for the library. And it was such a wonderful match and connection because she has roots in Southeast Stockton, and she knew so many people in the community," Bailey said.
Before the Maya Angelou Library opened its doors back in 1996, Lorraina Harris was instrumental in community engagement, asking people who lived here what they wanted in a new library.
"She had such high standards about how it should feel when people came into the library," Bailey said.
A graduate of Edison High School and San Joaquin Delta College, Harris started her trailblazing career as a library aide in Stockton in 1973.
She instilled the importance of reading to her own three children and countless more.
Those who knew her said she was funny, very caring, thoughtful and more.
"She walked in the room. She would light up the room. She was a prayer warrior," Carr said.
"She left a legacy where she taught kids that reading was important," said Lavonia Duncan, Harris' daughter.
Funeral services for Lorraina Harris are this Thursday at 11 a.m. in Stockton at Progressive Community Church at 2820 South B Street.
The services are open to the public.
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