Lifelong fascination with libraries won't end with retirement

Talk about it

Dear readers…after more than 27 years, this will be my last library column as I move on to retirement. My fascination with libraries is as new as it was the day I began my employment here.

Just the idea of free public libraries began by Andrew Carnegie so many years ago still amazes me. Carnegie never forgot the time when as a boy he was unable to pay the subscription fee of $2 a year to borrow books from one of the country’s first public libraries.

The significance of Andrew Carnegie's gifts for the development of libraries in America can scarcely be overestimated. His generosity was the result of his genuine passion for education and his love of reading.

The library is open to everyone and never discriminates against any individual no matter their race, gender or personality type. It is available for every single person to use so that all of us can get an equal chance to learn many wonderful things through the power of books.

It serves the purpose of being one of the most central buildings in a community and needs to set a good example and stand strong.

The library can be wonderful for students and people needing to learn and gain extra knowledge. When students obtain a library card, it encourages them to really take their education into their own hands.

So many kids benefit from the library all throughout their lives. When they begin to read, they go to the library to complete this important task.

Our library is a unique and valuable resource. It is a lifeline to the world and all the information in it. We have a beautiful library, complete with a wonderful staff and volunteers.

The Friends of the Library work tirelessly to promote and support our library. Our library board, made up of community volunteers, deals with the daily challenges facing any growing business and being good stewards of our tax dollars. The ongoing challenge is to maintain and grow our services and facility for future generations of library users.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our library throughout the years and to all the readers of this column. Thank you to the Echo Press for allowing my often times off-beat humor to shine through. It’s been fun writing it.

Remember, you do not have to be an active library user to support the library. Come in, take a look. You won’t be sorry and you may just find me relaxing and reading a good book.

Tags: life, library, conroy, retirement