Dear Library Friends --

I'm writing this letter to you at 6 p.m. on my last day as your library director. As many of you have already heard, I have accepted a new position as director of the Northwoods Wildlife Center in Minocqua. Although I'm looking forward to the challenges of my new job, I am sad to leave all of the friends I've made here in Mercer. Tonight is definitely bittersweet for me.

The Mercer community should be sincerely proud of its library. Through the dedication of our volunteers and donors and the consistent support of the Town of Mercer and Iron County, we've grown this library into a place that is welcoming and helpful to all who visit. We greet people who are visiting Mercer for the first time; show off our facility to real estate shoppers who "want to check out the library" before they make a decision about buying a home here; help our Mercer School students as they learn to read and later learn what they like to read; help adults who want to learn to knit, chat about books, or make new friends in the community; and welcome anyone else who walks through our doors in search of information or connection. I'm proud to say that I've had a hand in building this library, but I certainly could not have done it without the support of our whole community, library donors and volunteers, and the library board.

I hope that you will show our new library director (whoever s/he may be) the same enthusiastic support you have given me for the last ten years. The best way to ensure that your library continues to excel is to use it -- attend our programs, check out our books, visit with our staff, and let your town and county board members know how much you value their support of the library.

My time is almost up this evening, so before I go I'll leave you with a short newsletter to tell you about a few upcoming events. Thank you for a wonderful ten years, and happy Loon Day!

Teresa Schmidt

Library director