following up

Thank you all so much for your comments yesterday. I did write a (lengthy) email to the library director yesterday, discussing how much we loved the library and all the positive experiences we've had there, and how upsetting our experience yesterday was in light of the affection we felt for the library otherwise. I was very polite, since I didn't want to alienate the director, but also very straightforward and a bit chilly, i.e. "I am deeply saddened that one of the places that we looked on as a haven and a source of endless wonder and entertainment is now a place where my children are fearful about their treatment, after having seen their mother publicly berated and humiliated. I hope that you will take steps to address this with your staff so that no other patrons leave feeling as I did today."

I got a very apologetic email back last night, saying that it was certainly not library policy to treat patrons this way and that he was looking into the matter and would get back with me on it soon.

I purposefully didn't mention any names in my email, since I didn't want anyone to get fired, but I really am hoping that this is something that's discussed with the library staff.

On a happier note, last night I went to a couple of Enrichment groups and it was such a refreshing way to end the day to be around the wonderful women in my church. I went to a class on gardening, where I learned all kinds of fascinating and useful information from women decades older than me who have been gardening all their lives, and then I went to another woman's house for a 3-hour quilting session, where she served homemade strawberry ice cream and presented me with the most beautiful baby blanket she'd made for our new baby. I drove home thinking about how grateful I am for the Relief Society, since it allows me to have so many wonderful friends of different ages and learn so much from older women with a vast store of experience. I think normally it would be impossible for me to meet and make friends with women who are in different life stages than I am (read: not at the playground all day), and I am so grateful that I have the chance, through my church, to be able to learn and grow and emulate these wonderful amazing women. I remember being so nervous when we moved here from Utah, thinking about the fact that I wouldn't know anyone and how would I make friends, and realizing the week that we got here that I had built-in friend opportunities in scores because of the women I met at church. I am so grateful for all the friends here who have taught me about everything from making jam to potty-training, from gardening to quilting, from unselfish service to more meaningful scripture study (still working on most of those).