December 21, 2023
As I sit at my desk and write this, it is a sunny 65 degrees outside. As it’s mid-December, this feels both wonderful and scary.
As the year-end approaches, I always like to reflect on the past year and the year ahead. This is a wonderful and scary exercise. 2023 has had a lot of scary - wars, inflation, and vexing political choices fall into that category for me. And what about artificial intelligence? That's definitely wonderful and scary as well.
Here are a few experiences I have had that fall on the wonderful side:
My daughter got married in July, and I learned my son and his wife will make me a granddad in 2024.
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I took many morning walks and got to enjoy some beautiful sunrises.
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At the Friends Foundation, we had our first Large Multi-Day Used Book Sale since the pandemic at the Historic Elitch Theater. The Foundation also had two wonderful parties - the Booklovers Ball in October and the just-completed Holiday Lighting party, where we had a sleigh-pulling photo booth!
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The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library and the Ross-Cherry Creek Branch Library reopened. It was a special treat to spend time with Purnell Steen at the Blair-Caldwell Reopening. He has been a library supporter since the 1950s.
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As the two images below show, the wonderful new Park View space opened at the library, and tremendous progress has been made on the Central Library Renovation. Look at that staircase!
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If you haven't noticed, the library played a significant role in making this year a wonderful one for me. I know, however, that the effect the library has applies to far more than just me. The library branches, their contents, the library staff, and their service to the community all create a wonderful atmosphere for library customers, no matter what scary things might be happening in their lives.
As we move forward in 2024, I hope the library can bring joy and wonder to you, while also diminishing anything scary. Best wishes for the year ahead!