[Publib] Marrying people at the reference desk

[Mary J. Soucie]

Gloria, 
I love this story of a wedding at the library. In our building's former
life as a church, there were many a wedding here but none that I know of
since it changed over. :-) Mary

Mary J. Soucie, Library Director
Wilmington Public Library District
Visit the world @ your library(tm)
201 S Kankakee St, Wilmington IL 60481
815-476-2834 Phone
815-476-7805 Fax
mailto:mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org


-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Gloria Goverman
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 3:11 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Marrying people at the reference desk


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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