Friends of the C.H. Booth Library announced this month that Carmel "Carm" O'Neill will be retiring from her volunteer duties in the sorting room.

A special luncheon took place at the library on Monday, March 20, to commemorate her time and commitment with the organization.

Jim Maher, president of Friends of the C. H. Booth Library, honored Mrs O'Neill as the first "coordinator emerita" during her celebration.

"Carm exemplifies the endearing qualities and dedication that enables the Friends [of the C.H. Booth Library] to be so successful, yet share close, lasting relationships," Mr Maher said.

The proclamation that was presented for Mrs O'Neill reads:

WHEREAS, she has distinguished herself by many years of exemplary volunteer service demonstrating an abiding professional and personal commitment to books and reading; andWHEREAS, she continues to concern herself deeply with the success of the annual book sale to benefit the C.H. Booth Library, andWHEREAS, she has elected to step down as the coordinator overseeing the offerings in Classical Fiction, Drama, English and Grammar, Literature, Reference and Short Stories at said book sale;NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jim Maher, President of the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library, do hereby proclaim Carmel O'Neill as the first "coordinator emerita."PROCLAIMED this 20th day of March 2017

After spending more than 20 years volunteering with the library's nonprofit group, Mrs O'Neill is moving out of town, to Brookfield.

Chapters Of Her Legacy

Those close to Mrs O'Neill say she had experienced a lot in her life before coming to volunteer at the library.

Friends of the C.H. Booth Library member Denise Kaiser said, "To me, Carm is an example of that generation of woman who, through her lifetime, realized her potential and it was through books.

"She went to a very conservative Catholic high school, there was no expectation that she would study further. She married the solider, came over here [from Australia], had her children, was a housewife, and she went back to school - to Columbia," Ms Kaiser explained.

While attending college, Mrs O'Neill would commute on the train down to the city. Her love of books and determined work ethic propelled her to become head librarian at the UConn-Stamford campus, from which she later retired, in 1995.

Looking back on Mrs O'Neill's time with Friends of the C.H. Booth Library, Ms Kaiser said, "What impressed me is she brought a professional attitude to her volunteer work. Not many of us come from library backgrounds; we know libraries and love libraries, but she was the librarian. If we wondered where to put a book, she had an opinion."

Toni Earnshaw, Friends of the C.H. Booth Library director of advertising and publicity, added, "She is so well read. She could summarize the plot to a book she read probably 40 years ago."

During Mrs O'Neill's time with the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library she sorted through book donations with a keen eye, easily determining which books went to the Little Book Store, located in the library, or for the annual summer book sale at the Reed Intermediate School.

Friends of the C.H. Booth Library member Kay Brix said she was so skilled that "she could just in an instant look at a book and make an assessment."

Ms Brix worked closely with Mrs O'Neill over the last few years and has since developed a friendship that extended outside the sorting room.

She recalls the first time she assisted Mrs O'Neill, saying, "One day she tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I could help her load up a box. I said, 'Sure, I can help you.' Then a couple weeks later she tapped me on the shoulder again and from there it became a great relationship."

Ms Brix said the pairing of them together was easy, because they both have a love of the classics in common and agreed in many literary areas.

She explained how it meant a lot to her when Mrs O'Neill began asking for her input. She said, "It got to a point where she would ask me 'What do you think?' and I thought 'Really?'"

Her respect and admiration for Mrs O'Neill is clear as she speaks.

"She is a very gracious, kind lady," Ms Brix said. "I learned a lot from her. She is very bright and has probably forgotten more than I will ever know."

Mrs O'Neill was responsible for an astounding six sections, which have since been passed down to Ms Brix.

"Most people usually have one or two sections, and she was able to handle all of that," said Ms Brix. 'I've been able to move in to that under her guidance."

Despite no longer having a routine presence in the sorting room, Ms Brix says Mrs O'Neill will always be invited back.

"We encourage her to keep coming in. It has always been such a big part of her life. I love working with her," Ms Brix said. "I told her 'You call me when you want to come in, and I'll be there.'"

At the farewell luncheon, Mrs O'Neill was heard to have stated, "I'm still planning on coming to the sale and have already lined up my ride."

To drop by and get a book recommendation from Mrs O'Neill, visit the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library's annual summer book sale, going on this year from Saturday, July 8, to Wednesday, July 12.