I Thanked A Librarian Today

I had an opportunity to thank a librarian Wednesday, actually a couple hundred of them. Here’s what happened.  I was hired to speak for the Prince George’s County Library Staff Day in honor of National Library Week on the topic of “GIVE the Quality of Customer Service You’d Like to RECEIVE.”

Every time I speak, I check the morning newspapers to see if there’s anything particular intriguing and pertinent to our topic that day. It’s a way to pleasantly surprise audiences and introduce something unexpected, recent and relevant so they know our program won’t be a canned spiel.

The The Wall Street Journal really came through with a marvelous column by Bob Greene entitled “I Actually Thanked a Teacher.” In it, Bob talked about how, “Amid the endless torrent of angry and violent world events, I turned off the television set, shut down the computer, and turned to something I hoped would provide welcome respite” What did he hope would provide a welcome respite? A BOOK.

In particular, a book illustrating the small Ohio town where he grew up. While flipping through it, he came across a photo of his first grade teacher, Ms. Rudoff. He fondly remembers the day she helped him learn the first word he ever read from the Dick and Jane series …. LOOK.”

He eloquently describes the joy of reading, “I went home so thrilled that day. I knew how to read a word. When the day had begun I hadn’t known it, and now I did. Such a magical feeling, accompanied by the sure knowledge that other words would soon follow.”

Greene shares how it became important to find the teacher. Although it took some doing, he was able to track her down. He told her, “If I’ve ever written a graceful sentence, if I’ve ever appreciated a turn of phrase in a good book, if I’ve ever found comfort in a beautifully told story, it all began with you.”

He said he assumed the hundreds of other boys and girls who passed through her classroom had gotten in touch to let her know how grateful they were for her life-changing impact.

There was a long pause, then she said, “No one ever has.”

Upon hearing that, he promises to visit next time he’s in the area and closes his column with, “In this world filled with dreadful news events, there’s not much we can do to affect any of that. But all of us can surely think of people who, in seemingly small ways, have made our lives better and more fulfilled, people who may believe we’ve forgotten them. It’s not too late to find them and tell them. All you have to do is LOOK.”

Thanks, Bob Greene. I looked those librarians in the eye and thanked them for the positive influence they’ve had on thousands of people like me.

See, I was a “library kid.” I rode my Palomino horse Joe (who only had two speeds, a hard trot and a flat-out run. He never, ever walked) to our small town library. I think I read every single book they had, (my favorite were Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series). I’ll always be grateful to our small town librarian who generously special-ordered books for me from the “big city” library more than an hour away.

That library was my sanctuary, my intellectual playground, my learning lab. As with Bob, I am lucky to earn my living as a writer and speaker – as a purveyor of words.

It doesn’t stop there. My sons Tom and Andrew got their first library cards when they were 5 years old. I still have the picture of the proud day they stood in front of the counter at our little green shuttered library overlooking the ocean in the small Maui town of Kihei. Both of them have also become speakers and writers – purveyors of words. And it all began in those small literary cathedrals called libraries.

Jeffrey Naftal, the Director of Human Resources for Prince Georges Library System started Staff Day in a marvelous way. HE READ STORIES. Stories that had been submitted by customers. Stories like the woman who walked up to a reference librarian and said, “Do you remember me? You showed me how to do historical research. I’m now a tenured professor at William and Mary because of what you taught me." 

There were dozens of other stories of the pivotal role these librarians have played in teaching people how to read, use a computer, search for and find important information.

This week, why not thank a librarian, a teacher, someone who, as Bob Greene says, “has made your life better, who may believe you’ve forgotten them.” They deserve to hear your thanks. Chances are, it will make their day (week? month?) …. and yours.

P.S. This picture is of me and Jaleen Walker, who coordinated this excellent Staff Day that ended up being such a "rising tide raising all participants" event. Thanks, Jaleen, for your gracious hosting and for giving me the opportunity to be part of this memorable experience.

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Sam Horn, Founder/CEO of the Intrigue Agency is on a mission to help people create more compelling, collaborative communications that add value for all involved. Her TEDx talk and books - including POP!, Tongue Fu!, IDEApreneur and Washington Post bestseller Got Your Attention? - have been featured in New York Times, Forbes, INC and Fast Company and presented to NASA, Accenture, ASAE, Intel, Cisco, Boeing, Capital One, Accenture and National Geographic. Want Sam to share her insights with your company or convention? Contact [email protected].