A library trustee discusses new programs at the Bethel Library

About 11 years ago, I received a call asking me to

consider joining the Bethel Library Board of

Trustees. At the time it seemed like a weighty

consideration, mostly because I wondered what I

would have to offer this venerable mainstay of the

village. Eventually, I took the plunge.

All these years (and meetings) later, I’m still

learning about how to keep this library healthy and

relevant to our lives. Although my roles have varied,

I’ve grown fond of my library community, and I

appreciate how it has helped me grow in ways large

and small. The renewed sense of welcoming activity

emanating from this small but mighty building puts

a smile on my face. With so much going on,

sometimes I feel like taking off my trustee hat so I

can simply be a patron.

Recently, my attention was grabbed by a community

quilting session that did not require sewing skills!

How inclusive is that? So off I went and experienced

a calming couple of hours cutting, gluing, and

visiting with folks I might not have seen otherwise.

(The finished product is in the stairway to the

second floor of the library-check it out!) This low

key, relaxing respite was exactly what I needed.

It got me thinking about a new way to see my

library. I’ll always love picking out books to read,

but now I know to keep an eye out for other kinds of

offerings. The kind that might make me feel like I

belong, or that might make my day just a little

warmer or more interesting than it would have been.

By Martha Siegel, Bethel Library Trustee