The following article was submitted by Therese Horstketter, a Public Services Associate at the Manitowoc Public Library.
Hello lovely readers, listeners, gamers, computer users, and overall Library supporters!
I don’t know about you, but my favorite time of the year is upon us. Fall is beautiful, with the crisp, but not yet ice-cold air, and the amazing colors that pop out at this time. And because it gets dark earlier, I feel I’ve been given permission to snuggle up and read more every day. I am pretty sure I shared that thought last year, too.
It also seems like a reflective time, as we are winding down to the end of another year. As I reflect on my many years here at the Library, wow, have we been through changes.
Personally, my husband and I were married 12 years when I started working here. We just celebrated 36 years! Our son was 6 and has somehow become 30! Sadly, we have lost some very dear family and friends, but we have added some beautiful new faces to our extended family.
My second family—the staff I have worked with these many years—has gone through many changes, both personally and professionally, also, which quite often has been very emotional for many. We recently said goodbye to our amazing director, Kristin Stoeger. This was a great loss to myself and others. A new director will be part of the next leg of our journey.
Thinking of work-family, I love to see
our regular library patrons stroll in daily. There are a good number that have shared our Library for the many years that I have been staff. Many also enjoyed our previous library, like I did, long before we were in this building.
And of course, along with the “old regulars,” we are always happy to welcome new library users. It’s wonderful to introduce people to all that we have to offer. Some people think it is all books and computers, but we’re so much more than that. We recently added video games for check-out, to name just one thing! Just come in and stroll our library—there is so much to take in.
Getting back to reflecting, the past year-and-a-half has been a strain on everyone, no matter your medical, political, or world view. We’ve watched and experienced so much change take place that’s out of our hands! But, hopefully, you manage to have a book nearby. Or a movie ready to go that can take you away from some of that external noise. We are here to help you accomplish some of that in your life.
Our Library had to pull back on some of our programming, especially in-person, but we are getting back to some of the things that patrons have missed. Book Discussions for Adults are getting worked back into the routine. On November 18, we are featuring “The Invisible Husband of Frick Island”. Book Discussions for Adults will then resume monthly in January.
Families—get ready for Trunk or Treat on October 26! We also have our Teen Halloween Haunted Library on the 26th! It’s geared towards ages 11-17. Registration is required. Contact our Youth Department or see our website for details.
These programs and events are just a teensy bit of the programming available in-person and/or virtually. Check out our “Events” calendar on our website (www.manitowoclibrary.org). Or head to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/manitowoclibrary) for updated info and things that pop up after our calendar was completed for the month, such as book and material sales.
We may not be turning a corner on everything we would like to see change, but I think we are headed in the right direction—and in a great direction at that!
