Brookline Children's Librarian Died In Bicycle Crash

BROOKLINE MA — The 69-year-old woman who was killed while biking near Fenway recently was a long-time Brookline children’s librarian.

Paula Sharaga was a “fun, caring, thoughtful, and empathetic staff member,” the library posted to its social media Saturday.

Sharaga’s bike collided with a cement truck near Brookline Avenue and Park Drive Friday afternoon. She was rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

“Paula was a wonderful asset to the Coolidge Corner community, which she served for almost two decades," read the library post.

Michael Burstein who serves as a Trustee of Brookline Library said he knew Sharaga as a library trustee and as a parent of kids. He describes her as a dedicated librarian and as someone who loved children.

"I'm devastated, this is shocking news," he said. "She was a lovely woman and a wonderfully dedicated librarian," he said.

When his children were younger and it was time for them to get their library cards he took them to the main branch to do the honors, but when it came time to check out a book, neither wanted to at that branch.

"They wanted to check them out from Paula," he said in a phone interview.

"I remember having to schlep them all the way to Coolidge. They'd interacted with Paula so many times it made sense," he said. And as the years past the Brookline Coolidge Corner Children's librarian would ask him about his daughters whenever she saw him, he said.

"I'm feeling very sad tonight," he said.

Sharaga was an avid bicyclist, dedicated environmentalist, and vigorous political advocate, according to the library.

"Paula was loved by all who knew her and will be missed terribly by the staff of the library, and by her friends in the community and around the world," the library posted to social media.

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Photo courtesy Brookline Public Library