It is with immense bittersweetness that I announce that this is my final Happenings for the Lewistown Public Library. In mid-September, I will be leaving my post as Youth Services Librarian to put on the new hat of school librarian at Valley View Elementary in Great Falls.

I am extremely proud of everything I’ve accomplished in the youth department of this library. When I took this position in February 2019, I had no library experience under my belt, just a passion for literacy and a desire to utilize my creativity to engage with this community. Since then, I’ve thrown myself into curating a collection with something for everyone, developing programs for a wide variety of age groups and interests, and learning all I can about librarianship. But most of all, I’ve had the overwhelming honor of making connections with the incredible patrons of the Lewistown Public Library. One of the best parts of being a small library is that we get to know our patrons very well and make genuine connections with them. It is you, the patrons of this library, that I will miss the most and never be able to replace. Watching children grow into eager readers and library users has been so immensely fulfilling. I am extremely excited to meet a new group of kids and get to know a brand new community, but I will absolutely miss everything about the Lewistown Library.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also thank the Library Board, the Friends of the Library, and of course, my fellow LPL staff members for their support, guidance, and friendship over these years as well. We are truly the luckiest library in the world to have such an incredible team holding up this institution.

While things may look different as I transition out of this position and a new Youth Librarian moves in, you can continue to expect quality youth programs. In lieu of Storytimes, we will offer take-home craft kits and themed book selections for families to utilize on their own time. These will be available on Friday mornings. Teen Writers will likewise continue as a passive program with preselected writing prompts available to participants. Class visits for Lewistown third graders and area schools will continue as scheduled. Keep your eye on our website and social media for more information about future programming during this transition.

It’s been an honor to serve the youth and families of Lewistown. Read on, friends.