RETIREMENT TIME … Pictured at the Edon Library greeting table are, left to right, Jodi Parsons and Carol Dean. Parsons retired on Wednesday, February 22, after working for 32 years at the library. She was often the greeter as library patrons came in. Dean will now be the one most often seen at the greeting table. (PHOTO BY DAN COOLEY, STAFF)
By: Daniel Cooley
Edon Librarian Jodi Parsons has been called an institution because she has worked at the library for such a long time.
“A lot of people have also told me that every time they come in, I’m there at the front desk, to greet them,” Parsons said.
Not seeing her at the desk will take some getting used to because after 32 years of work at the library, Parsons is now retired. Her last day of work was Wednesday, February 22.
“I got everything I needed to retire, so now I’m looking forward to doing a lot of crafting and spending time with my grandkids,” Parsons said.
“I no longer will have to worry about what the weather is like, if we will be open or not. And I’m going to do a lot of relaxing and sleeping in.”
Of course, Parsons did a lot more than just greeting people as they came in. She ordered and delivered books for the homebound, read to elementary school children up through fourth grade at Edon Elementary once per week and had story hours where she did weekly reading for the preschool kids.
In regards to the homebound, Parsons said that she usually delivered books once she left the library for the day.
For the last year or so, though, the majority of people came and picked up their books at the library.
Parsons also was involved in a summer reading program for kids and in addition, she started a crafting program for the seniors.
The crafting idea came from Parsons’ grandmother Katherine Miller, who worked at the Montpelier Library.
“She definitely passed that interest onto me,” Parsons said. “She did a lot of scrapbooks, which fascinated me.”
Of course, Parsons also helped library patrons find books. She was around long enough to experience a new Dewey Decimal System of books, which she prefers.
“When working at a small library, you have to know it all,” Parsons said. “Here, we started a Dewey Light System and I think that it’s easier to find books.”
Parsons explained that the new Dewey System is set up by categories, such as by weddings, sports, antiques, animals and artwork.
Each category then has a number system. There are some things Parsons said she will definitely miss.
“Reading to kids at the school and my colleagues, I will definitely miss,” Parsons said.
Parsons will not totally disappear from the library scene at Edon though.
“I will be involved with the summer reading program, and I have been asked to help with the senior crafts since I started that one.”
Still, it’s going to take some getting used to, not having Parsons at the Edon Library. After all, she’s made a lot of people happy over the past 32 years.
Dan can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com