By Monika Spaulding

After 34 years at the library, Donna Hurst is closing the book and retiring at the end of this month. The community is invited to join the library staff in recognizing her dedication to the community with a retirement party Sunday, Oct. 6, from 2-5 p.m. at Southern Hills Church located at 1645 S SR-135, Salem.

Hurst said the job began when she was volunteering with story time at the library and the director at the time, Susan Tengesdal, was short staffed and asked her if she’d consider working there. Hurst was good friends and neighbors with Tengesdal and decided to take her up on the offer.

“My two oldest kids had both started school, so I figured why not!” she said. “I started helping to cover some of the evening hours and it just went from there!”

When she started at the library, she would help wherever she was needed. 

“I worked at the adult desk, helped with interlibrary loans and processed books, and I helped in the children's department…just wherever I was needed. I did a lot of cross training!”

In 2002, she became the director of the children’s department. And when you ask her what she will miss the most about that job? Her answer is, “Most definitely the children and seeing my friends at the library. We have a great staff and they are the best. I will miss seeing them every day!”

Above everything, she said the kids are her favorite part of her job. 

“I love working with the children and seeing their bright and smiling faces, whether it's at the library or out in public,” she said. “I had so much fun working with my community partners doing programs…they were a fun group of ladies! But I have loved every moment of working with the kids!”

Hurst said in her 34 years, there have been a lot of changes. 

“The addition to the library is one big change!” she said. “So much more room and an actual program room! But, moving the entire library from one building to another was not fun at all!”

Other changes she has witnessed include computers and the automated systems. The staff no longer stamps check out cards and there is “no more looking through 100's of card catalog cards. It's all online now! Much, much easier to help patrons find things! We have made so many changes down through the years and hopefully the changes have made our community better.”

Hurst said the job has impacted her in so many ways, explaining that every day is something new and exciting. 

“I think when you work with the public, you learn to be more tolerant and understanding of people and their needs and situations,” she said. “I've learned to just roll with it, you never know what the day will hold!”

Library employee Judy Reasor said she has loved working with Hurst for the last 12 years. 

“I remember when I first started, my biggest goal was to be able to find books for patrons without having to look them up,” she said. “Donna could go right to any book they asked for and give them suggestions for exactly what they were wanting to read. She inspired the love of reading to so many.”

Reasor said she also enjoyed Hurst’s story times. 

“She’s an excellent storyteller and the kids always sit and listen so well.” 

Hurst also knows a lot about the history of the library. She would make the school tours interesting and taught the kids so much about the building and its history. 

“We are going to miss her so very much!” said Reasor. “Her position is going to be hard to fill!”

Hurst said that while she has read a lot of books, she hasn’t read all the books in the children’s department. She does, however, read a lot of reviews of books. 

“I wish I had the time to do that, but if you are running a department, you really can't sit and read every book!” she said.

Despite not reading all of them, she has many she likes, but she doesn’t know if she could pick a favorite. “It’s hard to pick just one. 

“There are so many I just love and there are new ones I find and have fun with all the time!” she said. “I am one of those who likes a fun or silly book to read aloud! I love Pete the Cat, any Mo Willems, David Shannon, Ted Arnold or Sarah Wilson. For the older kids, Richard Peck, Louis Sachar, John Green, J.K. Rowling or Sarah Weeks books.”

Hurst said she also loves to read interactive books to the kids, like Herve' Tullet books. 

“If it's a book for me, then Janet Evanovich, Kristin Hannah, John Grisham or our Book Club selection for the month!” she added.

When asked why she thinks people should visit their local library, Hurst said, “We have a wonderful library. It is not only a beautiful building but a great place to work and to spend time. The staff has worked hard to make it a place where everyone is welcome. We have strived to make fun and interesting programs the norm here for every age group.”

Hurst said they want people to use the library and stress that they don't need a library card to enjoy the library, the programs or even to use other services, only for checking out materials. 

“We are here for everyone just as Andrew Carnegie imagined all those decades ago when he gave us a grant to build a library,” she said.

Hurst said working at the library has been the most rewarding, fun, enjoyable job anyone could ever have. 

“I have made so many wonderful friends and had the joy of being involved in so many children's and young adults’ lives,” she said. “I hope that the memories these kids have of me and my time at the library are happy ones.  Because the ones they leave me with sure are the most happy and wonderful for me. I have loved every moment of working with and for the children and young adults of this community.”