Latest news with #EssexCountyLibrary
Hamilton Spectator
14-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Donna Spickett retires after a remarkable 52-year career with Essex County Library
For Donna Spickett, one chapter closes - as another one opens. The long-time employee has retired after spending 52 years with the Essex County Library. 'I started as a desk clerk at the LaSalle branch of the Essex County Library (ECL) in 1973. I never imagined that my career in the library would have lasted beyond my high school years!' said Spickett. 'When I finished high school I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to go to further my education, so I continued to work at the LaSalle library until 1980 when an opening came up in Essex for a branch assistant.' She worked at ECL part time for 10 years, was married in 1981 and had three children. She worked part time until 1999 - which gave Donna and her husband Matt time to raise their family. 'Our children loved their mom working at the library! I was always borrowing a variety of books for them to read,' she laughed. 'My family supported me through my career because they knew I loved it!' In 1990, when her mother (Jean Forbes) retired from the LaSalle Branch, she came back to LaSalle as the branch supervisor. Over the years, Spickett shares she has seen many technical changes at the ECL. 'When I started there was a small binder to find the general location of books with the Dewey Decimal system,' she laughed. 'We had a very small card catalogue with recipe cards in a file box which we also used. We checked out books with a stamp attached to a pencil and patrons had a card number which we wrote down on the cards that we removed from the books when they took them out.' She says the stamp was changed nightly, so patrons could keep books out for three weeks. They would file the cards alphabetically and numerically at the end of the day and count them for circulation statistics. 'When computers came into the ECL system in the 90's things started to move quickly with technology. There are now databases available for free to access newspapers and magazines from around the world, Libby to download e-books and audiobooks, storybooks in different languages (Lote), transparent language and many more,' she added During the Covid shut down the library attached an RFID tag into each book, which meant that they could place a number of books onto a tablet to check them out instead of scanning each individual book. RFID stands for 'Short Frequency Identification' and these smart barcodes are attached to items in order to easily identify them by using radio frequency technology. In more simple terms, radio waves transmit data from the tag to the reader that then transmits the information to a RFID computer program. Spickett also acknowledges she has seen many major changes to library programming over time. 'Our programming consisted mainly of children's programs to bring families into the library. We started out with story times and craft programs, which continued to grow with great attendance,' she shared. Currently programming has expanded to all ages including adult crafts, cooking programs, book clubs, outreach and community partners.' she said. Overtime she recalls many fond and favourite memories. 'My greatest memories are the families that come in today - that came in when they were children! They talk of the programs that went to when they were very young and they are now carrying on the library tradition with their families,' Spickett shares. 'The cards and kind words I have received over the last month show me that I have touched many people and they certainly have touched my life! The LaSalle Branch has moved six times since I started in the 70's. With each move it was so nice to see more and more families coming into a newer location.' Spickett says that working for the ECL has been a wonderfully fulfilling career. 'It is overwhelming when I think back to the beginning of my career! Some of the patrons that I have met over the years have become great friends and I looked forward to seeing them in the library,' she said. 'The staff that I have worked with will never be forgotten. We have shared family stories and enjoyed each other's company for many years! I will miss seeing them on a daily basis.' As one chapter closes another chapter begins. 'My husband and I hope to do some travelling in the fall and winter,' Spickett says. 'We moved last year, and I am looking forward to the nicer weather to work in the yard and garden. I will have more time to spend with family and our six grandchildren…they are also looking forward to that.' she added. 'I was honoured to be a part of ECL and the LaSalle Community for over half a century!'
CBC
01-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
'I wont give up on you:' Essex NDP candidate vows, launching campaign
Essex NDP candidate Lori Wightman kicked off her election campaign Friday with a virtual event positioning herself as a union fighter for the people of Essex. Wightman, born in River Canard and living in Amherstburg as a library worker, underscored her years of union involvement and leadership with CUPE during the Essex County Library workers strike in 2016. "During that eight-month-long Essex County Library Workers strike, I didn't stay behind a desk," Wightman told supporters over Zoom. "I stood shoulder to shoulder with my fellow workers on the picket line every single day. I listened. I fought. "I never gave up on them, and I won't give up on you." She was joined in launching her campaign with former Essex NDP MP Tracey Ramsey and CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn. "I know Lori, I've stood beside her in the struggle. I've seen her fight for what's right, even when it was hard, especially when it was hard," Ramsey said. "She led one of the longest public sector strikes in the history in this region ... That kind of strength doesn't come from personal ambition. It comes from values. It comes from knowing what's at stake for working people, because she's one of them, because she's one of us." Also running in the riding are Conservative candidate Chris Lewis, Liberal candidate Chris Sutton, People's Party candidate Jason Henry and Green candidate Mark Vercouteren. Wightman also highlighted key NDP policies, including national pharmacare and dental care. She pointed to her party's role in securing both programs and stressed the importance of defending them, drawing on her daughter's experience with cancer. "When complication after complication set her back, it left her unable to work," she said. "I was lucky. I could step in and help pick up the financial slack, and I could take time off work here and there to take care of her. "I wondered often how more vulnerable people could make it through a catastrophic illness like that. That's why national pharmacare matters. That's why we need to fight to keep it and expand it." University of Guelph political scientist Julie Simmons has previously told CBC she expects NDP candidates to draw heavily on those key wins for the party in making their case for election. Simmons also said she expects to see NDP candidates emphasizing their connection with unionized workers who will be hit hard by U.S President Donald Trump's tariffs, which are widely anticipated to be a defining issue of the campaign.
