Notes From Miss Sherry:
It was an honor to join some of the most powerful women in the world on a stage to talk about our common passion, libraries. We are very different in the populations we serve, but our similarities are what make us librarians. Donnelly holds everything that is beautiful for me. As I travel the world, I am always reminded how much I truly love home. In all of our quirks and difficulties we are a beautiful community. I love that the library is part of that beauty in our community. Sharing that on the biggest stage in the world for librarians was incredible. As I stood in the green room and the gentleman was hooking up my lapel mic, I realized that this was a BIG deal. It wasn’t just a big deal for me, as a librarian, it was a big deal for Donnelly. It was a big deal for small and rural libraries across America. Small and rural librarians often don’t feel heard. We often take some of the biggest hits and have the smallest budgets, and the least amount of pay and yet do the hardest work. My title at the Library is Director, but I am also the program teacher, the circulation desk and the janitor. My staff doesn’t have the luxury of just sitting at a desk. Sarah does everything from reading to little ones and teaching Latin to scrubbing the toilets. Being a voice and bringing awareness to small and rural libraries was a wonderful experience.
For the record, I didn’t say that we were 2 hours from the hospital. I did say we did not have one in our town. I think people were so dumbfounded when I said the closest McDonald’s was 2 hours away, that is what stuck. Our distance from services is difficult, but that distance from “things” is also what makes us wonderful. I am so happy for the role the library plays to bridge the gap in missing services.
https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/showing-up-liblearnx-2024-conference-recap
This was one of the greatest experiences in my life. I am grateful for everyone who encouraged me to say yes!