Would you read it in a boat?
The first time I drove down Grove Street into Haddonfield, I felt like I was coming home. Now that we have shared each other’s lives for more than 20 years, it is very hard to say goodbye. In the time I have served as children’s librarian at Haddonfield Public Library, I have watched your toddlers grow into amazing young adults. Some of the preschoolers who attended my very first story times here are now engaged or married or off to various careers and adventures all over the country and the world. As my own kids grew up and stumbled (quite often), your kids grew up and stumbled, and we exchanged stories with questions about how these crazy kids would land, and of course they all landed on their feet.
It is with anticipation and regret that I am closing this chapter and opening a door to a different path. The past 20-plus years have been so great, and I want to thank you for lending me your bright, funny, charming children who have always entertained me so much more than I have entertained them. I have enjoyed introducing them to wonderful picture books and fiction, helping them find information for school projects or just their own interest, and watching them have fun in various library programs. I know that I have left my mark on Haddonfield Public Library in quite a few areas, but the most important to me is the confidence that I have created a happy, welcoming environment where visitors young and old can feel right at home with the freedom to discover and explore.
Since I cannot possibly say goodbye to everyone quickly, I would like to invite friends and families in Haddonfield to visit the library Monday through Friday during the first two weeks of December when we will have cookies and memories to share before I say goodbye on Dec. (Friday – good luck) 13. Once I am settled in my new home in South Carolina, I am sure I will think of you all as I drift on our neighborhood river in a rowboat, reading all of the Harry Potter books!
See you at the library!
Dorothy Peppard
