A lot of us go to the WHS library to work on our homework, conduct research, or check out a book. What most students do not realize is that there is a hard-working, intelligent woman behind the scenes keeping the library run smoothly. Mrs. Libbey has been working at WHS for 30 years. She quickly comments, “Say that I was 5 when I started, I want that in the article!” So since the age of 5 years old, Mrs. Libbey has been working hard to keep the WHS library a student-friendly environment.

Recently, Mrs. Libbey won the “Area Director’s Award”, which she now keeps hanging on her bulletin board in her office. She joked about her huge certificate, the ribbon that she got to wear, and getting this “super-star” award. However, receiving this award is a very big accomplishment.

Nominated by Mrs. Kimball, the Gibbon’s Middle School’s library, Mrs. Libbey beat out over 120 other nominated librarians from the area. This also was the first year that the organization, MSLA, gave out the award. This means we have the best librarian around.

Mrs. Libbey received the award at the annual librarian convention that the MSLA holds. The MSLA is an organization that gives librarians the opportunity to share with librarians from other schools. Since there is typically only one librarian per school, Mrs. Libbey calls it a “lonely profession”. The MSLA is helpful for librarians to share and ask others about their work. Mrs. Libbey explained that she had to be voted to win by the MSLA’s executive board committee. She won the award due to her leadership in the program, as she has been the co-area director at MSLA for 6 years.

Mrs. Libbey had always wanted to be a teacher. She got started one summer working at a library, when she discovered she loved it. For the next two years, she interned at the library. Throughout her career, she has worked in two public libraries, one college library, and at WHS. She loves working here because “No day is the same, everyday is different. The challenges are different.” She likes watching the new freshmen walk in, unsure of themselves, and watching them grow into sophisticated seniors.

There is a rumor circulating that Mrs. Libbey may retire after this year. She says this indeed “is a rumor”. However, she is strongly considering retiring after this year. Her husband has now been retired for five years, and she says there is a motorcycle sitting idly in her garage, waiting to be ridden. She also has two grandchildren who live far away that she would love to see more. When asked if she would be sad when she leaves, she automatically said of course. This is the second time she has worked at WHS, and the first time she left she said she sat at her desk and cried her eyes out. Let’s hope that she decides to stay so we can brag about our amazing librarian who just won a “super-star” award.