Amanda Leslie
When you think of a librarian, you likely picture a mean old woman who constantly harps on children for speaking above a whisper. However, Erica Turner is none of those things.
The cheerful Australian first came to America in 2001 and started working here four years later. Friday, Jan. 17 will officially mark the end of an eight and a half year reign as librarian at MC.
“Absolutely I will miss MC. I like my job very much because I get to see lots of people, and I feel like the library’s a friendly place,” Turner said. “Lots of students want to come in and I think that’s a very nice thing. It’s the people who make a school.”
Turner will be joining her physicist husband of 29 years in Seattle, where he has been working for about four years.
“At first we thought it would be temporary, but he loves the job,” Turner said. “They put him on full time, he’s the senior engineer and he just helps run the company.”
As for her work life, Turner may be leaving a library job, but she may return to one.
“I think I will look into getting my Washington state credentials for teaching, and I think to have some company I’ll walk up to the local high school and I shall probably volunteer in their library,” Turner said.
To celebrate the new period of her life she is beginning, a staff member threw Turner a going away party on Saturday.
“Mr. Calver organized a party for me, and many staff came and it was great fun,” Turner said. “They had a big chocolate cake, and on the top of the chocolate cake it said ‘crikey, we’ll miss you.’”
At the party, Turner received humorous gifts based on the climate of her new home.
“Mr. Hizal walked in with his wife, and they gave me this great big umbrella, because it always rains in Seattle, and Mr. Matson and his wife gave me rubber boots, and that made me laugh, and lots of people gave me Starbucks’ cards, because they thought that would be suitable for the cold, wet weather up there,” Turner said. “It was great fun, it was a lovely party.”
Even though Turner is leaving, she stills plans on returning to visit beloved friends and family in California.
“We’ll visit the kids all the time and besides that I’ve got really good friends on the staff,” Turner said.
After being apart, Turner is excited to spend time with her husband.
“I’ve told him I’m going to be his little shadow, he laughs at that and looks a little worried but I think he’ll like it,” Turner said.
She and her husband look forward to spending quality time together once she makes the move.
“I’m looking forward to being my husband’s shadow and cooking him meals and being together and going out to restaurants and movies and things together with him,” Turner said. “It’s time we were together again.”
