Cheryl Fladwood, children’s librarian for the Rochester Public Library, has announced her retirement. She has been the children’s librarian in Rochester since 1998, after a combined 26 years teaching grade school and preschool.
Fladwood has the stories to share and many special memories of those years to remember.
“One special memory was when I told the children my true story of not winning a single bingo game when I was in the 5th grade. How disappointed I was when I never won the prized candy bar!” she recalled.
“I would share this story with the children at the end of each Summer Program so that in the event they did not win a door prizes, their life would go on.
“One time, an hour or so after the program ended, two children returned to the library. They proudly presented me with two large candy bars! They had begged their mother to stop and buy them for me to make up for my bad luck in fifth grade!”
Say farewell
The public is invited to an open house at the library honoring Fladwood for her many years of service to the children of the community. Enjoy refreshments and the opportunity to say thank you and goodbye on Thursday, May 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
“We know that Cheryl has touched the lives of many children and parents,” said a library spokesperson. “She has been a valuable member of the Rochester Public Library family and she will be missed. Thank you, Cheryl, for 15 amazing years here in Rochester and best wishes on your retirement!”
Her legacy
In a release, the library notes that Fladwood has delighted children with her creative programming – which has included stories, crafts, music, puppets and many other innovative techniques. She has instilled in children a love of books, curiosity of life, and early childhood reading and language skills.
Fladwood estimates that she has worked with as many as 10,000 children at the library level. Especially rewarding for her has been the implementation of a lap sit program for ages 2 and under and getting the ABC Early Literacy program going for 4-and 5-year-olds.
She has also enjoyed her outreach to local day care centers in the Waterford and Rochester area, by obtaining relevant material for them and visiting their programs for special reading events.
Coming up
Now, Fladwood plans to spend her retirement traveling more and spending time with her family. “I have a few projects and ideas that have been on the back burner for a long time and I want to focus on those – and clean my basement,” she said.
Fladwood appreciates and thanks her husband, Steve, who has listened to her read and tell children’s stories for years as he drove their car to church or anywhere else they traveled.
Now she may have enough time to possibly write some stories of her own instead of reading them as she and Steve travel the roads of their retirement.
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