Walworth-Seely Public Library: O’Toole

Elizabeth M. O’toole is one of the people in our neighborhood. She is the newest Children’s Librarian at the Walworth-Seely Library.
“I’m in seventh heaven,” Liz said during our telephone interview. “”I love doing the bulletin boards, crafts, stories and being with the children.”
If Liz is in the “children’s room” when the clerks leave in the afternoon, they know something special is in store for everyone in the morning!
“Liz creates such an exciting ambiance that it’s infectious,” said one of the clerks.
Liz has been working at the library ever since her friend Mary Perry, then head librarian, mentioned they needed another clerk. Liz applied and got the job. When the opening came for a children’s librarian, she was a natural shoo-in and hasn’t been sorry yet.
She has a degree in Early Childhood Education. She taught in the Cleveland area for a year and is applying that Montessori training to her library program.
Liz would like to continue the current programs of Book Jammers for the 4th through 6th graders and the Story Hours for the Pre-schoolers.
She’s beginning a K-2 Program to encourage more library use. The children will be reading about such things as kites and pin-wheels. Then, they’ll make what they’ve read about to take home.
She’s been practicing on her own children for years! Kimberly is 13, an active Girl Scout and will be attending Our Lady of Mercy. She’d like to become “some kind of doctor”.
Tom, is 10, a Boy Scout in Troop 260 and active in sports. I met Tom several years ago when I did a Guide Dog Puppy program for the Book Jammers. He is friendly, out spoken and a real nice guy.
Colleen is 7 years old, an active Brownie and attending St. Joseph’s School in Penfield. She is fascinated with all kinds of “creatures”.
Caitlyn is 4 and attending Wee People Nursery School in Walworth and looking forward to attending kindergarten at St. Joseph’s in September.
The kids share their home with G-man, a one year old Golden Retriever, and Emmy Lou, a 7 year old Yellow Lab.
Last, but not least, (or should I say: first and foremost) is Liz’s husband John. He is an ex-Navyman who moved his family to the Walworth area 8-1/2 years ago when he came to work on the Gannett Nuclear Power Plant.
Liz met John when she was in college. She and several girl friends decided it would be exciting to go into Milton to a tavern. It just happened to be the same tavern that was popular with the off duty Navyman from the nearby shipyard.
Need I say more?
John is active in the Walworth Volunteer Fire Department and was a Den Leader for Tom’s den.
This summer, Liz is initiating a program for young adults in grades 6 through 8. The theme is On The Wild Side.
I know the cartoonist who is coming to do her thing on July 30 from 11 to Noon and she is definitely on the wild side!
“I like living in Walworth,” Liz said. “Gananda is kid oriented. I feel the children and I are safe. People in general are friendly and there are lots of baby-sitters available during the day.”
“I’d like to see the new Y come to our area,” Liz said. “If a kid isn’t sports oriented , there isn’t much for them to do.”
I suspect Liz is going to do her part to provide more for these children by and through her work at the library.
Thank you, Liz. You are a Walworthian with the accent on WORTH.
(NOTE; A version of this article first appeared in my collumn Cornucopia in the Wayne County STAR 04/30/1997. Copyright © 1997 by Kate Chamberlin
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