Perhaps you did not hear, one grim day this past summer, about the abrupt dismissal of Hillary Fennell, our library’s much-loved children’s librarian for over 30 years, as part of the sudden and arbitrary termination of all DC Public Library part-time staff throughout the city. So long, folks, there’s the door! Hope you didn’t leave your lunch bag back at your desk, because you won’t see that again! I tried to imagine what logical thought process culminated in this bizarre event.
I certainly will miss Miss Fennell. I grew up listening to Hillary reading stories. I was just a little chappie, aged 4, when my mama used to take me to the Cleveland Park Library, and I would sit around in a circle with all the other boys and girls and listen to Miss Fennell read to us little tikes. It is one of my favorite memories from childhood. I still remember the mean old Mr. Brown who used to terrorize the children. Mr. Brown was the very embodiment of Mr. Scrooge!