Unsung Librarian

Recently I had a phone call from the Hollywood Library. I spoke with the head librarian, Noreen Shaw. It seems I had inadvertently left a check in one of the books I had returned and Mrs. Shaw was kind enough to call and tell me. It was not my first meeting with Mrs. Shaw. She had been good enough to allow me a late return on a book I had mislaid after the earthquake.

When I came for my check, Mrs. Shaw revealed she was relieved to find it wasn’t someone who had come to threaten her. I was surprised to discover this is a frequent occurrence in the lives of our librarians. However, this did not seem to faze Mrs. Shaw in the least.

I write this letter to salute Mrs. Shaw. She is an unsung hero in a city that can use all the heroes it can get. I salute her hard work, her good humor, her dedication and simple acts of human kindness. I’m sure there are other Mrs. Shaws worthy of similar praise.

THOMAS LEE TULLY

Hollywood