At this Roslyn library, the shelves held more than books

People visit libraries for all sorts of reasons. Many readers look for the latest bestsellers while other patrons may pursue art, literacy, culture, education, kinship, or a place to surround children with books. For some, it’s a place to get out of the house, to work, study, read a newspaper or magazine. And for others, as I discovered lately, it can be a place to process grief.

I am a librarian at The Bryant Library in Roslyn. I’ve worked in this field for 10 years, having changed careers midlife. A librarian has many roles and wears many hats over the course of a day. We help patrons conduct research, print boarding passes or return labels, use technology and find books. Sometimes, we help people look for the appropriate social service resource — think domestic abuse, child support, veterans’ assistance, and homeless needs, just to name a few. No two days are the same.

It helps if you care about people and their problems in order to do this job successfully. Empathy and patience should be in the job description, along with “demonstrated ability to troubleshoot printing problems.”

Listening to what patrons need is really the most important part of the job. Sometimes, they simply want to talk to someone. After a few years as a librarian, you learn what loneliness looks like; if you are in tune, you can lighten that feeling. I have learned so much about our patrons’ lives, their families, their solitariness in many cases. Some people need Wi-Fi or air conditioning on a blazingly hot day; others just want to see a welcoming face.

As I was “weeding” a portion of our nonfiction collection — withdrawing books that are outdated or not circulating — I came across a bookmark in one of the books in the “grief” section. On one side of the bookmark, the message read: “In Memory of Jenny” (I’ve changed her name). On the other side, a few words for the next reader: “God’s Got You! May He fill your heart with peace. Love, Jenny’s Mom” (with a drawn heart). The bookmark was carefully placed in a book about how to deal with grief and loss. I was so moved by the gesture that I saved the bookmark.

As I continued to weed that section, I came across nine more of the same bookmark. The exact same message, all placed in assorted books about grieving. I removed all 10, as we’re supposed to do when “weeding” books. Typically, we toss invaluable items found in weeded books, but due to the personal nature of the bookmarks, I was moved to save them. I will put all 10 back into the same titles on grief and loss. That’s what her mom intended.

I spent a lot of time thinking about this and the patron’s effort to place those bookmarks. She was a mother who lost her child. I don’t see how anything can be more devastating. Yet she came into our building, spent time in that section of books, and perhaps in doing so, she found some solace.

It’s one more unexpected reason why libraries are so important: They fill needs we didn’t even know people had.

 Reader Julie Klein lives in Roslyn Heights.