By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette
Do you ever feel like the whole idea of Thanksgiving often gets obscured by all the holiday expectations? Maybe this is uniquely my experience, but I always picture this Norman Rockwell kind of day, which isn’t my reality. There’s always some cooking disaster. My guests don’t always arrive on time. Of course, there’s always one or two people who can’t keep their opinions to themselves at dinner. (OK, I am one person!) In the effort to make the day “perfect,” somehow the meaning sometimes gets lost, and, at the end of the day, I just feel relieved that I survived the day.
So, this year, I decided the goal is gratitude rather than perfection. If the gravy is lumpy or if we eat late, the day will not be ruined. I am going to be grateful we have enough food, a roof over our heads, and people we love around the table.
And so it is with my job. Even though most people assume a job in the library is quiet and calm and involves reading at work, this is not the case. Especially around the holidays, there is much to do at the library. Some days it is easy to lose track of the things that matter here, too.
I am so grateful for this library. It is an amazing place compared to the small building that previously was our library. I appreciate the work and the foresight of the people who planned this building. We have a spacious building with a meeting room and a small conference room that provide places for programs, meetings and work spaces for our community.
I am thankful for the library board and their vision for our library and dedication to take time to come to meetings, go through training, and do the hard work of keeping the library focused on its mission of “enriching our community, educating minds, and energizing curiosity.”
Our Friends of the Library organization is also a cause for appreciation. They work tirelessly to fundraise and support the library as well. They are presently working to fundraise for our donor tree update project.
I am appreciative of a community that values the library and supports us in so many ways. It’s a blessing that so many people utilize our library. It fills my heart with joy to see people who wander in and spend an afternoon putting together a puzzle, a family who comes in and plays a game of checkers before they check out books or someone who needs to use a computer.
My favorite thing is seeing kids and young adults coming in and spending time here because they love the library. When they come and get me to look at something they built on the STEM table, show me a picture they colored, or tell me about a book that they liked, I get excited that we can provide learning opportunities for them.
I am grateful for our city council and the patrons who support our programs and welcome the opportunity to provide materials as diverse as the people we serve. I appreciate the people I work with who love this library and are committed to serving the community. I am thankful for the visionary thinking and the long-term goals our director and board have for this institution.
As we approach the holiday season, I would invite everyone to stop in and enjoy the beauty of the Festival of Trees displayed throughout the library. There’s always something going on here. It’s a great spot to just spend a little time. Read the newspaper, work on the community puzzle, have a cup of coffee, and look through a magazine. Don’t leave empty-handed; while you’re here, check out a book, a DVD, an audiobook, or a hotspot. Don’t have a library card? We can fix that problem, too. There’s no need to spend your hard-earned money to read that new best-seller or watch the new movie releases.
Holiday Closure
Patrons are reminded that the MJB Library will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29, in observance of Thanksgiving, but we will be open on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Author Talk
Life-long Iowa resident and author of “Better, not Bitter,” Michelle Cowan, will be speaking at the library on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. Cowan’s talk will focus on how she and her teenage daughter moved forward following the sudden death of her husband in a car accident.
Computers for Sale
The library has two Dell All-In-One desktop computers for sale. The cost is $50 each or a free will offering. If you’re interested, call or email the library for additional details.
Drew Carney and Leo Solorzano show off the creative drawing they made on the new tactile glitter graffiti sensory mat.