A return to my grandmother's library, four decades later...an amazing coincidence

A while back, I was contacted about participating in a local author fair.  Not only was I just personally delighted, given how much I love libraries and librarians, but I was just amazed when I saw who had extended this very kind invitation.

The Joliet Public Library, Black Road Branch. In Joliet, Illinois.

Now before I came to live outside Chicago, I grew up in Philadelphia.  My father, however, had grown up in Joliet Illinois. His mother, my grandmother, worked at the main branch of the Joliet Public Library for thirty years, retiring shortly after I was born in 1971.

In an interview published in the Joliet Herald-News dated December 26, 1971, my grandmother explained that she'd started as an apprentice at the library, working her first two and a half months without pay!  Initially, she mainly shelved books, but was also called on to mend books as well:

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"There were no book binders at that time, so when books became damaged by usage and wear, we sewed them by hand. I learned how to build a book from the bottom up."-Josephine Calkins

My grandmother, 2 weeks before I was born!

She left the library in 1936 to get married--my father says she met his father at the library!

After taking coursework at the University of Illinois library school, she returned to the Joliet library in 1953, working in the children's, reference, and adult departments. 

From 1956 to 1965, my grandmother was in charge of the library's bookmobile, before becoming an assistant librarian.  The experience at the bookmobile, she said, helped her learn about what people liked and disliked, which later informed her purchasing decisions.

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When asked to reflect, in December 1971, about what had changed since she first started working at the library, she had this to say:

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"A return of the 1930s is reflected in today's reading trends with many requests for books on witchcraft, hypnotism, astrology, numerology and palmistry....We don't have as many male readers in the library today as in the past. There was a time when we couldn't keep enough western books on the shelves...."

I can only imagine what my grandmother would think of current library trends now. Back then, microfiche and microfilm collections as well as "The New InterLibrary Loan Program" were just starting to transform how library patrons could access materials. What would she think of the digital revolution? 

Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away in 1987, so we can't know.  From what I do remember, she had a deep and abiding love of books, which she passed on to my father and my siblings. I'd imagine she'd be thrilled at the ready access of books and the long reach that modern libraries can attain.

(The other thing I remember about my grandmother was that she taught me to embroider, on one long visit to Philadelphia. While I appreciate that skill, I can't help but wish now she had also taught me how to build a book--a worthy skill indeed!)

As I've mentioned before, I grew up in a house literally lined with books, many of them bequeathed to us from my grandmother. I truly believe that my love of writing stems from my love of reading, a trait inherited from both my parents (my mother was also a librarian).

So I believe it will be quite a moment when I set up my table on Saturday. On one side, my first novel, A Murder at Rosamund's Gate. On the other side, the photos of my grandmother passing out books at the Joliet bookmobile. My parents are even making the trek out!  I don't know what to expect exactly, but I'm sure it will be great!