We interrupt your regularly scheduled Three On Thursday post for a very special thing that simply must be acknowledge.
Twenty years ago today I started working for the Town of Carver as the Library Director. TWENTY YEARS. That, my friends, is a long ass time to work in one place. To keep it slightly on point for today, I would venture that twenty years at the same spot means three things:
- I love my job.
- I have created opportunities to keep it fresh and interesting.
- I am good at commitment.
Since 9/19/99 I have worked for three different Town Administrators, answered to many, many Library Trustees, Selectmen/women, and Board members, submitted lots and lots of budgets and invoices, written tons of policies, hired and supervised some truly great people, witnessed retirements and resignations, attended a jillion meetings and a ton of conferences, mixed things up by adding in responsibilities as the Council on Aging Director, prepared reports for the state, completed performance reviews, checked out lots and lots of books, and so much more.
Of course I haven’t loved every moment of it, some of it is boring and some of it is difficult, and some of it is even sometimes disheartening (I’m looking at you, budget cuts), but through it all I have known that I am in the exact right place for me. I have known, with absolute clarity, that I’m where I belong, working with the best people and doing a job that truly matters in this world. Librarians for the win, my friends.
About a week after I started this job an article appeared in the local paper. The reporter introduced me to the town, talked about my background and education, referenced my lifelong dream of being a librarian, and made me sound pretty damn accomplished. The article was accompanied by this photo:
I sure look young! (I turned 34 two days after I started.)
The third paragraph of the article says: Julius said she can remember frequent trips to the library during her childhood and a vague feeling that the librarian had to be the smartest person in the world. In the fifth grade she said she learned that the librarian wasn’t necessarily the smartest person in the world, but, rather, knew where to find all the information. She latched onto that idea, determining to work in a library when she grew up. “Not many people set out to make this their life’s work, but I did,” she said.
Twenty years later and those words are as accurate as ever. I still consider myself lucky to have known what I wanted to do with my life since childhood. And I’m really honored to have spent so much of my career working in a beautiful building with wonderful people serving the people of a truly special town.
Aw, I’m tearing up a little! You are very lucky to have found a career and a position that you love and that suits you so well. Here’s hoping you have many more happy years (or at least as many more as you want)!
Wonderful!
Congratulations, Carole! Librarians are some of my favorite people in the whole world. And a library, hands down, is my happy place. Happy anniversary.
Congratulations on your twenty years! It does sound like a long time, but also like a win for both you and the town of Carver. I hope you have many (or as many as you’d like) more meaningful years with the library and no more budget cuts!
Passion for meaningful work makes the years fly by, doesn’t it? I think of all the lives you have enriched by helping people find engrossing reading, delve more deeply into interests or areas of knowledge that they need for a task or passion. Maybe even inspiring new young people to discover the magic of knowing how to find the answers they need. Pretty good stuff, considering how much the work has evolved in that time. I think the town probably considers themselves pretty lucky to have you too. Congratulations!
That is an awesome milestone! I say congratulations to you, but really – the congratulations is to the library who has been so lovingly cared for by you all these years!
Congratulations! As a little girl, I dreamt of working as a librarian (I mean… getting paid to spent time in the library? heaven!), but it never happened (I did apply for a job in a library a few times). I’d still like to work there, not only because books (still loving them) but also because I think libraries (and thus librarians) can really make a difference in a community. Your town is lucky to have you!
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary! (In November I will have been at my present job 21 years!! Which kind of blows my mind.) Your town is luck to have you!
Congratulations!
Congrats-what a fantastic milestone!
Congratulations!
Twenty years – any day now you’ll surely “learn the job”. Then they’ll make you write a new manual. 🙂
Congratulations Carole! What a great accomplishment and lucky Carver! (I’m at 19 this year!)
That’s a pretty amazing milestone, and I think the Carver Public Library is lucky to have had you for all these wonderful years! Congratulations!
Congratulations and Happy Workaversary! You are very fortunate to have found a vocation that you are passionate about.
So wonderful that you enjoyed your life’s work as much as you do. You have a great job and a wonderful attitude. Your town was very lucky to have you and smart to tap you! Congratulations!!
Congratulations, my friend! That is, indeed, an important milestone! What a perfect position for you — and the Town of Carver is so very lucky to have “landed” you. XOXO (And . . . you still look young.)
I think I would have loved working in a library if early childhood education had not chosen me first. This month I started my 29th year at our school. It has been a blessing.
P.S. congrats on 20 years – this must be a career that chose you too!
It must be a theme – my Thursday post wasn’t exactly a 3 part thing either. Congratulations on 20 years, and an even bigger Congratulations on still enjoying your job after 20 years.
Congratulations on the 20 years!
Congrats! You are so lucky to spend 20 years doing what you love. And Carver is so fortunate to have someone so dedicated.
Congratulations on your years as a librarian. Your community is very fortunate to have you. Boy – didn’t we all long young at 34. The funny thing is I feel as young as ever on the inside. The mirror tells a different story but I’m not complaining. I am happy and healthy.
Congratulations and well done! Working at a job you love almost doesn’t feel like working most days. I have always loved libraries and always thought that the Librarian must be one of the smartest women as well. So many summer days spent in the cool marbled rooms of our big city library…good for you!! <3
My best felicitations on a wonderful career history! I wanted to be a librarian, but for many reasons I did not get there. I think the world is certainly a better place since you were in the right place doing the things that you were meant to do, Carole. There are not a lot of people who enjoy their work that much. And you are so lucky to have landed in a place that you loved. Of course, it helps to put forth the effort to want what you have! I hope your joy in your work never diminishes.
Congratulations, Carole!! x 20! And here’s to… a few more. 😉