For a while, with covid and personal circumstances, I had stopped going to the library to borrow books.
This month though I started going again. I ordered some books online and went to pick them up today and found out that my library lady had died a few months ago.
My age, with a college boy, for years, Regina and I shared our experiences together as women, mothers and friends. Even though we only ever met when we transacted books, we chatted and shared laughs and exasperations over our lives. (quietly of course- although perhaps not always so quietly… ssshhh!)
She went too young. I am devastated for her son. I want to belatedly honor her here today.
She was a lovely, kind, funny woman. I’m glad I thanked her in the past, but I wish I had seen her more recently and could once more. I was expecting to.
The link below is the post about ‘Checked Out’ a library book project I did, with Regina and fellow librarian Patricia, handling many hundreds of books, then and over the years, lots of them heavy, unwieldy photography and art books that threatened to put their backs out as they lifted them off the lowest ‘hold’ shelf to pass over the counter to me!
Regina, you are missed.
Regina at NYPL 96th Street
The library notice I saw today.
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