Director's Note | January 2016

I'm sure that many of us have childhood crafts in our homes, either made by ourselves or our children.  My mom still has a paperweight that I made in 1980, which I proudly dated "1908" in my 1st grade handwriting.  Perhaps you hung a less-than-perfect Christmas ornament on your tree this past season.  And, perhaps that ornament was made at the library during one of Miss Peggy's storytimes.
 
I remember the first storytime that I attended as the Director of the Pendleton Community Public Library.  The children literally ran into the storytime room and hugged Miss Peggy who started with her trademark song, "If You're Happy and You Know It."  The kids joined in with perfectly-timed hand claps and foot stomps.  Then they settled in to hear the featured story.  Afterwards, everybody did a craft and enjoyed a snack before heading home.  This time-tested routine has been a successful formula for storytimes throughout the years.  And, Miss Peggy has planned hundreds of them, all with fresh ideas.
 
Miss Peggy is the reason many patrons enter our doors for the first time and continue to visit week after week.  Well into adulthood, children will fondly remember storytime at the Pendleton Library and how special Miss Peggy made it. Give Miss Peggy a popsicle stick, some construction paper, and a set of googly eyes, and she'll turn it into a valued holiday keepsake.  She's the MacGyver of crafts. Her talents are many.  Her admirers are plentiful.  And her positive influence reaches further than we will ever know.
 
Miss Peggy, we love you and wish you all the best in retirement!