It's Like A New Year

Coming to work this morning was spooky!
As I left home at 8:45, the street I took to work was empty...no cars, no one walking along the side of the street, no one coming and
going.
When I turned the corner and headed toward the library, I saw only two cars in the parking lot. And there were only two cars and a bicycle parked in front of the library.
Even inside the library was extremely quiet. Spooky!
When I complained about not seeing anyone, a coworker laughed and said, "You must have thought the Rapture came and you were left behind." We both laughed about that.
As I headed for my office, I saw only three people in the computer center.
I dumped my stuff in the office and headed back out the door, wondering "Where is everyone?"
In the reference area a man hunched over to read a newspaper.
In the reading area, a man was reading also, but no people were sitting at the tables, heads bent, intently writing on school work or whatever.
The children's library had only one person; Keva, who was shelving books.
So, I stuck my head in Norma's office door. She's the children's librarian and she was busy working away at her computer.
"Have you noticed how quiet it is around here?" I asked. I told her about my trip to work and the other areas of the library.
She got a big grin on her face, and then I knew!
All the kids are back to school!
We know, however, that after school lets out for the day, the computer area will be tightly packed again. The reference area will have students seeking answers to homework given right off the bat, and the children's library will hold a bunch of little ones looking for library books they can take home to practice reading.
Life in the library doesn't sit still when the kids are back in school. It may be quiet for a while, but it always gets busy after a quick breather.
Norma said she's working hard on her new calendar for storytime. She's waiting for teachers to call back and verify the times their children will come for the stories. She said she always feels like it's a new year when inventory is finished and the new school year begins. And that's true.
It may be quiet now, but I can guarantee you it's going to get busy very fast. We don't have much quiet time in the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library. Even the Doerun Municipal Library will have its doors swinging off the hinges in a matter of hours.
So, although it's quiet and spooky right now, we want to welcome you to our new year, where things are bright and shiny and clean. We're ready for even the busy times.