Saying goodbye to the library

I was reminded it was my turn to write a library article for the Journal. Looking at the calendar it appears it will be my last. After much thought I have made the difficult decision to retire from a job that I have loved for 30-plus years. I have no doubt that retirement is as great of a time in a person’s life as everyone tells me. And I look forward to the opportunity to reinvent myself and see where life will take me. But as good as it all sounds, I still hesitate to walk out the door and leave behind a job I love and coworkers I look forward to seeing every day.

I would need an insert in the journal to be able to share all the memories from the past 30-plus years. There have been so many wonderful people who I have crossed paths with.

It’s hard to imagine how young my family was in 1992. My kids truly grew up in the library stopping in after school and riding their bikes up during the summer months. I remember the day the tornado hit Washington and I ran out of the library ignoring my coworker’s advice and the blaring sirens, and I sped down the road only to arrive home to find my kids safe in the basement. Relief turned into disbelief realizing the destruction the storm had left behind.

Summers have always been a busy time at the library with our summer reading program. We enjoy large groups of kids coming in and taking over the 2nd floor. My first summer of overseeing the program, I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into as I looked out the door seeing all the kids lined up waiting for us to unlock. The 6-week program was exciting with great kids attending and it led to many more years of summer fun for me.

We brought in magicians, jugglers, ventriloquists and so many other entertainers to reward our readers. We even landed a helicopter in front of the building and let birds fly around on our second floor. My claim to fame with our police department was chasing a young man down the street who had stolen my daughters’ bike from the library’s bike rack. When I took off in the chase, I had forgotten I was dressed as an alien complete with a green face. I not only scared the thief, I scared the policeman who was a part of the pursuit as well.

We all have memories from 9/11. I remember the patron who came into the library to ask us if we had heard that the twin towers had been struck. None of us realized at the time that it was a terrorist attack. Everyone in the world must have gone to their computers that morning, as accessing any online information was difficult for the staff. As the news unfolded, there was a cloud in the building the rest of the day and the days that followed. I was grateful for the people I worked with and the patrons who visited the library. We listened to each other more carefully and could feel each other’s fear and pain after such a horrifying attack.

I feel so fortunate that I worked in both library buildings. Each is filled with their own good memories. There were years of planning with our current building. The community forums were full in our one-and-only meeting room in the library on Main. The discussions were thoughtful and there were many ideas used to develop a library plan that would serve our patrons for many years. We were blessed with financial support and a successful bond vote that led to our beautifully built building on the square. The move over here was memorable and efficiently done with the many people who volunteered to help. It was truly a community effort. I am going to miss my workspace with the perfect view of the fountain.

I have watched many families come full circle in the library. Enjoying another generation of readers has been a gift. I have fond memories of those patrons who have moved on to eternal life. I will leave Jean Robertson’s picture and library card in the top drawer of my desk to serve as a reminder of the importance of building friendships with all the people you meet at the library. A quote from Winnie the Pooh says that “a day without friends is like a pot without a single drop of honey.” It has been a sweet ride, my friends. I may have stirred the pot a few times, but I knew I could, working alongside the very best coworkers. I have crossed paths with so many wonderful people that I might have never met without this job. Thanks to each one of you for making 30+ years at the library my dream job.

Prepare yourselves for the many new opportunities the library will offer over the next few years. More great things are being planned and I couldn’t be more excited for the future of the library!