Outgoing staffer “loved every minute”

By Virginia Walker, community librarian Invermere Public Library

‘Marvin K. Mooney, will you please go now! The time has come. The time is now. Just go. Go. GO! I don’t care how.’

- Marvin K. Money Will You Please Go Now! by Dr Seuss

I know this isn’t how my coworkers feel about me, but the time has come to say goodbye after performing a job I have loved for 35 years. It has been an honour to work with people including Liz Robinson, Nicole Pawlak and our current “Wow” team of Anne, Jayne, Blair, Japhy, Claire, with special guests Dallas and Leann.

Over the years, many volunteers, trustees and “Friends of the Library” have helped make this a dream job for me.

Then there are the books. Literacy, education and accessible resources do change the world. The library is where everyone is welcome to avail themselves of these tools … for FREE! A well-funded library is the cornerstone of a healthy community.

Oh, the library patrons! As the saying goes: ‘What happens at the library, stays at the library.’ We witness the highs and lows, and the everyday lives of this community. It has been a privilege to get to know so many wonderful people.

There have been huge changes over the past 35 years: the rise of the internet, automation, unionization. Every day there is something new to learn here.

My hope for the future is that our elected officials recognize the value of libraries. Their job is to ‘balance the budget’, and the library is on the expenditure side of the page. They need to be told loudly and often, that our community values library services.

I’ll sign off with these words from my favourite obituary, as seen at the post office: “Loved every minute.” And: thank you.