The San Juan Bautista City Library said goodbye to a woman who
many said brought the library into the 21st century. Librarian Pat
Larkin retired Sept.12 after more than four years at the
library.
Larkin came out of her teaching retirement to take the job in
San Juan Bautista. With qualifications including a master’s degree
in school librarianship, she took the job because of the tasks’
formidable nature.
The San Juan Bautista City Library said goodbye to a woman who many said brought the library into the 21st century. Librarian Pat Larkin retired Sept.12 after more than four years at the library.
Larkin came out of her teaching retirement to take the job in San Juan Bautista. With qualifications including a master’s degree in school librarianship, she took the job because of the tasks’ formidable nature.
“It was challenging and it was fun,” she said, “and I’ve always had a passion for literacy and education.”
Larkin has devoted her life to the pursuit of education, being a teacher, a principal and working on literacy in the prison system. In all her ventures she tried to present the maximum amount of material to educate as much as possible, she said.
The city’s library, which began in 1895 with a group of women exchanging books, had never in its 106 years of existence had a librarian, she said.
“It was very challenging when I went in,” she said. “There were a lot of things missing that a library needs.”
In her tenure at the library Larkin secured a grant to bring six computers in that are heavily used, and was responsible for procuring the grant for the Adult Literacy Program of San Benito County, according to the director of the program, Barbara Scott.
When Larkin took over as librarian in San Juan Bautista the library was open between 10 and 12 hours a week. Now it is open over 50 hours a week, Scott said.
The well-trained staff Larkin left behind are competent in their dissemination of information to the community and keep the library functioning at a high level, she said.
“I’d like to see it maintained at the level it’s at now,” she said. “It’s a wonderful community center for adults and kids.”
Larkin moved from Hollister to Dos Palos a year ago, which is one reason she decided to retire as librarian in San Juan Bautista. Not wanting to make the 136-mile round trip commute, she also has plans to work on promoting literacy in Merced County.
“I’m working on writing grants to introduce literacy into the county,” she said.
The city is currently not filling the position Larkin left behind, said Alyson Creech, the administrative assistant for the adult literacy program. The vacant spot is a “sensitive subject” within the city, she said.
A retirement party for Larkin was held Sept. 12.
