Heather Wright/The Herald

Before there was the Internet or e-books, Debby Kennedy was a friendly familiar face at the Thamesville Library. And she loved every minute of her time among the books.

Kennedy retired from the branch at the end of June. By mid-July, she was still feeling a little befuddled about the idea of retirement.

“I still doubt myself as to whether I’ve done the right thing or not because there’s truly not too many people can say they love their jobs and what they do, and I did,” she tells The Herald. “I had to leave at some time; I look at it that I’ve left to give some younger person a job, who really could use a job and needs a job and so I that’s how I cope with my decision.”

For many people, Kennedy has always been the friendly face among the book shelves.

“Along the way I have met so many wonderful people, from toddlers, to the adults chasing the toddlers, and the seniors who frequent the establishment. I have always said, if the library isn’t noisy we are not having fun. The library should be a fun place to visit,” she wrote on social media. That likely was an unusual idea when she first walked through the library doors in 1987.

“When I first started, we were still doing the old stamps, the cards in the back of the books. Everything was done manually and everybody just had a notebook with four digit numbers for every patron coming in and out. …everything was done via phone. There was no emails or anything like that we didn’t even have a computer back then.”

It took some time but the branch got an electric typewriter, “which we thought was the just the greatest thing ever.”

Before the Internet changed the way libraries operated, Kennedy says there were lots of kids coming to the branch to work on school projects or attend storytime with the librarians. Now, Kennedy says the majority of the people who stop by are the seniors and she worries their needs won’t be met in the future as the digitalization of library services continues.

“Children are exposed to iPads and things from the day they get into kindergarten. They’re using these technology things at home, they’ve had them from the day they started school, so they don’t necessarily have to go to the library. They’re a different kind of library user,” Kennedy says.

“We’re leaving a generation of people behind and that’s our seniors who don’t have computers, who don’t want to use a computer. And I’ve always argued this all the time…we still have to remember, there’s a generation out there and there’s still areas, even in Ontario, where there’s no internet available to people; they can’t get it, or otherwise, it’s too expensive for families… For some people, it’s not a problem but for my seniors, I still ordered things for them myself. I think that’s what kept them coming was I could do that for them,” she says.

And it’s clear the seniors and those who came to the library as children will miss her.

“Thank you for being there while we grew up, doing the story times at the library, and ordering in the books we were looking for! You were a big part of my childhood and I’m sure you saw a lot of us Thamesville kids come and go,” said Heather Holcombe on a social media post marking Kennedy’s retirement.
“Poor Ted is going to have to visit you at home,” wrote Ruth Roesch. “You have been part of our family for 36 years.”

East Kent Councillor Steve Pinsonneault agreed.
“You have been a cornerstone for a lot of years. You have provided a safe and comfortable zone for the young children to come and learn. You have always been helpful to the older folks who needed anything as well. Over the past 36 years you have touched countless lives in a positive manner and you will be remembered for you kind and compassionate personality.”

Kennedy was overwhelmed by the compliments saying she has truly loved the work she has done over the years.

“I enjoyed from dealing with customers to trying to, you know, find the answers for them, getting them in contact with people and I just loved it all, very, very much. I found it very, very rewarding,” she says.

“I went to work, and I learned something new – that it could be the most trivial thing to somebody else – but to me, it was like a new word or a decision that had been made and I was able to find an answer, I found that very, very stimulating for your brain to be always thinking.

“There’s not many people who can say that, but they love their jobs so much. And the amount of time that went by. I feel like I just started yesterday.”

As Kennedy tries to get used to the idea of being retired, she’s already found a couple new ways to help the community. She’s committed to helping the Thamesville Historical Society with the museum at the Old Town Hall and she plans to volunteer at the Chatham-Kent Hospice. “I feel I have something to offer.”

And while Kennedy will miss the library, it’s clear people think the library will miss her, too.

“Congratulations on your retirement Deb, but boo, too, it at the same time. The library will not be the same without your cheery greeting when I come through the door. I will miss seeing you there as I am sure a lot of other will as well,” wrote Connie Squire.

“I bet even that big ol’ building will miss you, too.”