“Kids love to read and we want to bring out that enjoyment of reading,” said Schroeder. “It happened 40 years ago, it happened 60 years ago, it’s happening today.”
Staff members say she’s a favorite with the kids. Now as she plans to retire, Theresa says she’s going to miss seeing the people she’s worked with over the years and making connections with generations of children.
“When you go out in the stores and you see them and you get so many hugs that way. Or you get questioning looks of, ‘where do I know you from'”?
Rachel Ottnerness was one of those kids. Now she bring her own daughters.
“It’s important to me that my 3 daughters have books and love reading,” said Ottnerness. “One time my mom came with us to the library for Story Time with my kids and she recognized Theresa from when I was a kid. We made a sweet connection of just multi-generations being influenced by her teaching and her love of kids. She knows my kids by name when we come into the library. She’s just been a huge influence on their love of reading and love of books.”
Theresa says her favorite stories may have changed in 40 years, but the kids haven’t.
“The enjoyment of reading and learning to love reading, we’re just there to help bring it out.”
Theresa may have read her last Story Time, but the reading event will continue. She’s retiring after a total of about 48 years with the library, counting volunteer years starting at the age of twelve.
