I retired as the director of the library in December 2019, just before COVID started or maybe it was already here. To fill my days, I got chickens. It’s a funny thing but they provided a form of solace and regularity in a time fraught with uncertainty and fear. I also joined four book groups, became a docent at the Phelps Hathaway House, stopped going to the gym but continued with a zoom yoga class. Now I’m back as the Interim Library Director until a new director is found. And, I have rediscovered the joy of our physical library. I want you to rediscover it too, face-to-face.
Until recently, the library had limited hours. But no longer! It is open 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. During COVID, demand for the library’s digital services exploded. Books, movies, magazines, audiobooks, genealogical information, Consumer Reports, and lots of research capabilities were available from the library while isolating at home. All that is still available including curbside service for people who are COVID cautious.
It is hard to retain friends at a distance. Harder still is to ascertain what a person wants or needs. Librarians spend their days trying to read the minds of their communities. But the more that people use library services and identify gaps in them, the more accommodating libraries can become. Suffield librarians can try to read minds, but mind reading is inexact. Let the library serve you better. Come, visit the library, tell us what you need. The library is a place for wonder, education and camaraderie. Enjoy it. Make it better.