Alyice on July 10th, 2008

Happy Independence Day

Here’s a little something I created in celebration of the 4th of July. I dropped it off at the local library this week, to thank our Librarian, Jane, for all the hard work she puts into making our library a wonderful place to visit.

You know, we’re very fortunate to live in a country that allows us the free use of books, videos, magazines, and audio tapes. We can read up on faraway places, we can escape to dream worlds, we can learn to make just about anything, and we can become better human beings—all by the stuff we read in books.

But not all librarians care about their patrons. In fact, I’ve been in some beautiful libraries where the staff cared more about the atmosphere of the place than the people entering the building. There’s nothing like a mean-spirited person to keep you out of the library for good—and without patrons, those libraries eventually close down and those communities lose out.

Which has one wondering, “What made them mean in the first place?” Do you think they never got the respect they deserved? Do you think they felt others didn’t appreciate the work they did? Dealing with the public on a daily basis isn’t always easy—trust me, I’ve worked retail!

That’s why I think it’s important to thank public servants for the work they do—whether they’re military staff, government employees, or state officials. And that’s why I took the time to thank our librarian this 4th of July. I wanted her to know that I appreciate what she does to keep our small library, in our town of 2,000, open and available for people of all ages and races to enjoy.

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