October's Employee of the Month is Elois Matthews

Elois Matthews was surprised when our director, Melody Jenkins, announced the October Employee of the Month. Melody talked about a long-term employee (that's at least 98% of the people working here), "who has done a little bit of everything, and has not only her library job but a full-time job at home."
That's when all of us standing around, waiting to see who it would be, realized it was Elois. We picked her out right away. And I do believe she blushed as she received the flowers Melody handed her.
Elois began with the library in 1962 at the age of 31. Next February she will celebrate her forty-seventh year! In this day and age, it's hard to believe there are still people who have worked at their job longer than three years!
"When you try to think back over 47 years, it's hard," Elois said. "I"ve seen lots of employees come and go, and lots of changes."
Before Elois began with the library, she worked at the Spence Field Hawthorne School of Aeronautics. She left when the base closed and began raising her family.
When Hildred Lewis asked her to work on the library's bookmobile with her, Elois took the job. She said it is the job she's enjoyed the most.
"You know, when you work with people and have a close communication with the patrons, they become like family."
She continued that love of people when she semi-retired from the bookmobile after 32 years and Melody placed her in the library's reference section.
"Melody said she put me in the reference section because I have such an inquisitive mind," Elois said as she laughed. "And I've been in it for 15 years now!" When you put a loving spirit and curiosity together, you have a winning combination for working in the library.
Elois said she's done almost everything in the library: bookmobile, processing, repairing books, circulation. "I'm a jack of all trades," she said. "But the hardest thing for me to learn was using a computer. I just had a hard time with that." This time she didn't laugh.
Elois received a certificate of appreciation and flowers, a gold Georgia library pin and bookmark, and access to the special E.O.M. parking space right in front of the employee entrance.
She's lived in Colquitt County all her life. She said she raised her children, Joey and Debbie, in the library. They live near Elois and her husband, J.E., who will be married 60 years next February.
Long-term employee, loving spirit, inquisitive mind...we have a winner, don't we?