Charlotte Wright may be “retiring” as president of the Friends of the Seymour Library, but she has no intention of leaving the group and will continue her work on the semi-annual book sales.
Her seventeen years with the Friends have, “meant a lot,” to her, Charlotte says. “Libraries are important, whether school or public, it’s a wonderful service to provide to people.”
A “retirement” event for Charlotte in celebration of her years of leadership is planned for Wednesday, September 28, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Seymour Library. The event is open to the public.
Library Director Carl Gouveia says the Friends are one of two entities that raise money for the library through various fundraisers. “The Friends hold a fall and spring book sale, a membership drive each spring, and sell logo tote bags and other items to raise funds,” he explains.
The funds raised help support various services at the library including the summer reading programs for children, teens and adults. Last year the Friends purchased a new staff copier.
“They underwrite our hospitality fund,” Gouveia continues. “They purchased our public color copier several years ago. They also volunteer for the library, helping to staff booths and other library jobs. Every year, they help fund the Volunteer Appreciation Brunch and the new plate for our Volunteer of the Year plaque.”
Charlotte describes the Friends as a group of people who love the library and want to help support it and its programs.
She says now is the right time for her to step down from her leadership post. Lynne Gardner will be taking over the presidential reins. Charlotte says she would not have served as president for so long a time, but, “I didn’t want the Friends to end, so I stayed in the position. It’s good to have somebody new come in and do it.”
Charlotte notes that by-laws for the group set limits for the time one person can serve in an officer position.
Libraries have always played a key role in Charlotte’s life. She worked as a school librarian in the Greece Central School District and then at the Ginther Elementary School in Brockport.
Her husband, Norm, says Charlotte knew as a student in elementary school that she wanted to become a librarian. “She has a passion for it,” he explains, “just like an artist or a photographer.”
Fellow Friends member Barb Hefke grew up with Charlotte in Brockport. She says Charlotte has always been very community oriented. “She is very generous with her time,” Hefke notes. “She helped design the present Ginther Library … she centers her life around libraries.”
In addition to her volunteer work at Seymour, both Norm and Hefke say Charlotte has spent sixteen years volunteering at the library at Hope Hall in Gates. The school provides opportunity for at-risk or educationally stranded children to become successful lifelong learners. “They are dependent on volunteers,” Hefke says of Hope Hall. “Charlotte goes in one or two days a week … she helps get books, the students there need a lot of support.”
Norm adds that Charlotte performs all the duties of a librarian at Hope Hall including processing and shelving books. When she first began, Norm help build bookshelves for the library.
Fran Welch, another member of the Friends, says Charlotte, “did everything” over the years for the group. He remembers that at one time Charlotte told him she had been reading the by-laws and joked about getting out of her job as president as she had already served two terms. “I told her we never really elected you,” Welch laughs. “We can get you for another two terms.”
Charlotte found a way to “get back” at Welch shortly after when she dubbed him Friends vice-president in a listing of “officers” printed on a folder made up for a library event. “It was a joke between us,” Welch says. He gives credit to both Charlotte and Norm for all their work on the book sales.
“When the library needed something, she is the one they went to, she was the go-to gal,” Welch says.
Friends member Sue Edmonds says it is Charlotte who has kept the Friends group going for so long. “She is a wonderful person to work with,” Edmonds says, and explains that
Charlotte was always very involved with the summer reading program for children. “She was dedicated to the children, (making sure) they had all the options available.”
Charlotte’s work and volunteering at local libraries over the past half-century have meant that she has seen many changes in the services libraries provide to their patrons.
Technology means libraries, “have new ways to help and serve people, and that’s good,” Charlotte observes, “but I don’t believe that books will ever completely disappear.”
