A Heartfelt Farewell

After nearly three wonderful years of writing the weekly library column, the time has come for me to say goodbye. This will be my final column as the Frankenmuth Wickson District Library Columnist, a role that has been both a privilege and a joy.

Over the past three years, this column has been a journey through the many ways books, libraries, and literacy enrich our lives, and it has also been a gateway to deepening my personal love of reading.

Together we have learned about tsundoku, abiliophilia, and ballycumbers. We took a behind-the-scenes look at blackout poetry, the benefits of reading large print, the ability of books to build empathy, and the ways censorship creates barriers, which is why Banned Books Week is so important.

We attended Adult Sensory Story Time, studied a handful of ways to avoid “Summer Slump”, surveyed the importance of equal representation in books, and explored the magical Icelandic tradition known as Jólabókaflóð (yo-la-bok-a-flot), or “Christmas Book Flood.”

We celebrated National Poetry Month, Native American Heritage Month, Black History Month, the benefits of reading outside, the Homeward Bound Delivery Program, Wickson Library’s 50th Anniversary, and more. Together we’ve read (and not read) through many seasons and the occasional book slump.

In my own life, my time as Library Columnist has been most notably marked by the growth of my youngest son, Kai, who was only 3 months old when my first article was published, and is now a silly, scooter-loving, smart-as-a-whip three-year-old. Watching my children grow has been a constant reminder that each stage in life is temporary—thankfully, since no one can survive that level of sleep deprivation forever!—and that part of growth, both theirs and mine, comes from embracing change and knowing when to turn the page.

Just as my children are stepping into new experiences, I, too, must take a step forward. It is time for me to let go of the column and say goodbye to you all. I offer you a heartfelt farewell, filled with appreciation for the shared stories, conversations, and moments that have made this journey so special.

I am grateful for the ways I came to know the library, its programming, and its patrons on a deeper level. I am grateful to Cheri Stainforth, former Early Learning Specialist, for seeing my potential and believing in me; to Pam Williams, former Library Director, for bringing me on and entrusting me with this position; to Roz Weedman, former Library Columnist, for passing the baton and onboarding me; and to Michelle Duclos and the entire Wickson Library Staff—your continual encouragement and support has meant the world to me.

Lastly, I want to thank you all, the column’s faithful readers, for embarking on this journey with me and reading every issue along the way. I will forever cherish my time as Frankenmuth Library Columnist.

Over the course of the next few weeks, the Frankenmuth Library Staff will be writing the column in the interim, offering you a unique and behind-the-scenes view of everything that’s happening at the library. First up is Library Director Michelle Duclos.

I look forward to becoming a faithful reader, not only of the column and its new author(s), but of the wonderful world of books. Though this chapter ends, the story of my love for libraries and for this community will continue to unfold. Happy reading, and see you at the library!