Hello friends,
It’s Jessie from Youth Services here. When I started volunteering at Skidompha in 2014, I did it as a way to give back to and to get involved in our community. When I began working here shortly thereafter, I never anticipated what a joy it would be and what an outstanding group of people I’d get to call my work family. Working at Skidompha has been incredibly rewarding and has helped me grow as a person in ways I never expected. The more involved I’ve become in the world of librarianship, the more I’ve become keenly aware of what a unique and special place we have in this library. It is for this reason that it saddens me to announce that my time at Skidompha is coming to a close at the end of May.
Beginning in the fall, I’ll be enrolling at the University of British Columbia in a dual-degree program in Library and Archive Sciences. I’m very excited to learn more about this field and to take what I’ve learned at Skidompha on the road, and my family is excited for a west coast Canadian adventure. Matthew isn’t alone in his nerdy love of whales, and so the prospect of regular orca sightings doesn’t hurt the transition either.
If you told me at any point during my adolescence or young adult life that I’d be working with children and loving it, I’d have given you a serious side-eye and would probably have burst out laughing. Since beginning my work as Youth Services Librarian in 2019, I’ve discovered a world of incredible literature I never knew existed before. If you haven’t read any children’s books lately, I cannot recommend them enough (can I even call myself a librarian if I’m not pushing books in my farewell address?). We’ll have a big display in the atrium of youth books that are great for adults to read, but please remember you’re always welcome to check out any of our books any time.
I’m thrilled to announce that Kristi, our current Teen Librarian, will be taking over as Youth Services Librarian beginning in June. Kristi is going to do a fantastic job. She has a natural ability to connect with kids, to help them grow, and most importantly to ensure they feel welcome and like they belong at Skidompha. To help our young library users with this transition, on Tuesday, May 30 at 10:00 a.m., we’ll be hosting a joint Story Time where both Kristi and I will read stories and sing songs. Additionally, throughout that day, we’ll have special treats and craft activities, and we encourage everyone to stop in for a visit. My final day at Skidompha will be Saturday, June 3, and I look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible before then. Regardless of where I land at the end of schooling, Skidompha will always have a special place in my heart and will always be home.
Happy reading,
Jessie