[Publib] Marrying people at the reference desk

[Gloria Goverman]

Although not conducted by a librarian, we did have a wedding at our library
about 2 years ago.  It was a very young couple and the groom was shipping
out in a day or two; I don't remember what branch of the armed services he
was with.  The wedding was supposed to take place next door to the library
in Town Hall, but they were forced out of the judge's chambers due to the
sheer number of family members attending.  The judge came over to the
library and asked  if the bridal party could use our community room and in
one voice, the staff said, "Eeeough".  The room is so depressing - we
couldn't imagine a more dismal start to a marriage.  So we shooed the
patrons out of the reading rotunda, grabbed the boom box and a CD, pulled
the flowers off the circ supervisor's desk and badda-bing, badd-boom, had a
wedding on the night shift.  One more topic they didn't cover at library
school.

Gloria W. Goverman
Director
East Fishkill Community Library
www.EastFishkillLibrary.org
348 Route 376
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nann Blaine Hilyard" <nbhilyard at zblibrary.org>
To: <publib at webjunction.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 3:12 PM
Subject: RE: [Publib] Marrying people at the reference desk


A reference librarian at the Princeton, NJ, public library DID have her
wedding at the library. She wrote an essay (about "why I'm a public
librarian") for the "Perspectives" feature in PLA's Public Libraries
journal. She send a photo of herself in her gown answering a reference
question.

I think it was in 2002--the article, that is; I no longer have a a copy of
that issue, and I don't know if she actually said when the wedding was.

Nann
@the library in Zion, Illinois



-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of John
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 1:55 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Marrying people at the reference desk

Joe, I am truly sorry to say that I have *not* presided at nuptials at any
library desk.  I have, however, overheard some very interesting cell phone
conversations in the men's room...but I digress.  In my last position, the
board president did tell me in all seriousness that he wanted his funeral,
or memorial service, conducted at the library.  I wanted to point out to him
that the Palestine Public Library was constructed in such a way as to be
spectacularly unsuited for funerals.  It was also unsuitable for use as a
library...but I digress.  There were, however, two memorial services for
unchurched and rabidly atheistic (thus, no church, and not even a so-called
funeral *home*) members--husband and wife, deaths close together--of the
Library Friends held in the library's meeting room, with Yours Truly as the
requested presider.  It was all too weird, and I was glad when both events
were over.

I might have felt more pious and earnestly grateful to (sort-of) officiate
if a family member had slipped me a little cash, as an honorarium, outside
the library, off city property, under cover of darkness....  (Ha!)

John D. Richmond, Director
Alpha Park Public Library District
3527 So. Airport Road
Bartonville, IL 61607
Ph: 309-697-3822, x. 12
Fax: 309-697-9681
Email: jrichmond at alphapark.org
_______________________________________________
When I open my eyes I must sigh, for what I see is contrary to my religion,
and I must despise the world which does not know that music is a higher
revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. -- Ludwig van Beethoven

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