We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Friday, August 20 was Eva English's last working day at the Aaniiih Nakoda College Library. After 28 years of service to the college, she has decided to retire.
English graduated in 1988 from Northern Montana College (NMC) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Technology and a minor in Computer Information Systems. While taking a few credits each semester at Northern, she worked various jobs, usually more than one at a time.
"I worked at K-mart and Van Barron's law office in Havre so I could continue working at the library as a work study student. Nothing really fit," English reported.
In fact, the only job that seemed like a comfortable fit was her work study position. So, English asked the NMC Librarian, Vicki Gist-who herself recently retired from MSU-Northern-how she could get a better/full time library job. Gist directed English to the list of American Library Association accredited library schools.
English chose the University of Missouri (MU) because she had family near Columbia. She graduated in 1992 from MU with a Master of Arts Degree in Library and Information Sciences. As she was nearing graduation, English sent résumés to every community college in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, along with a cover letter saying she would be graduating soon and wanted to return closer to home to work at a small college.
Margarett Campbell, who served as President of what was then Fort Belknap College (FBC), was one of only two people to respond, saying FBC was in the process of accreditation and looking for someone with English's degree. After English applied, Campbell hired her, and the rest, as they say, is history.
"I've lived my whole life, except my year in Missouri for grad school, on Highway 2. Born in Chester, lived five years in Gildford, moved to Hinsdale and graduated high school from there. Went to college at Northern, then Missouri, then immediately got the job at FBC," English explained.
English moved to Harlem to begin as the librarian in September of 1992. Although this was her first professional library position, English had worked at the Vande Bogart Library as a work study student for approximately six years and then as a library aide at the Ellis Library at MU while she was attending graduate school.
In November 1999, she briefly left her position at FBC to work at Stone Child College as the Library Director but returned to FBC in February 2000 and saw the college name change in 2011 to Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC). She has been the Library Director at ANC ever since.
As English looks back on her time at ANC, several special moments rise to the top as memorable. "The most memorable moments are probably our graduation ceremonies. Graduation is the culmination of the hard work that educators witness and help students achieve, so getting to celebrate that moment WITH and FOR the graduates is special," English recalls.
English also derives satisfaction at seeing the look on a patron's face when she has shown him/her a source that answers an inquiry question or she has helped patrons arrive at the answer to a question they'd been seeking.
She named budget and funding-or lack thereof-as the most challenging aspects of a librarian's position. English added, "That and trying to help everyone were points of difficulty because when I couldn't help, I felt like I had failed."
While every occupation comes with a certain amount of humor, English hesitated when asked about the funniest moment on the job: "Oh my goodness, that's difficult. I will say that kids really do say the darnedest things, but when students ask with such sincerity about something that might be funny to me, they are quite serious and require a serious response."
English described her time at ANC as rewarding and fulfilling and her departure as bittersweet. "I can't even express what working at FBC/ANC has meant to me. I've been here half my life. This IS my family. There have been ups and downs, but welcome to being a family. And it's (retirement) going to be weird. But changes are inevitable and it's time. So thank you to those who have accepted me as part of this family and community. Please know that I realize I didn't always do things the right way or the way that was expected, but I always did the best I could. So, Kénéiʔihéiʔaanʔɔ. Pinamaya. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Although English is actually employed with the college through the end of September, she has enough leave to be absent from campus until then, so Friday was her last day of being physically present at the library. She explained that she didn't want to confuse students-who started classes on Monday, August 23-with a short presence followed by her absence. But she's not moving, and she's not really retiring.
"I'm staying in Harlem, and my little side-hustle will become my main gig. And more importantly, I'll be able to be at my mom's instant beck and call. When Mama says, we roll, we'll roll THEN, not 'after 5' (insert Cat's in the Cradle lyric here)."
For those who are unfamiliar with the Harry Chapin allusion, that song refers to the importance of developing a strong parent/child relationship and carries a theme of regret for lost time-something English hopes to avoid.
English's mention of her side-hustle is a reference to her business, Eva's Laser Engraving Etc., which she established in 2017 after experimenting with engraving and cutting with a CO2 laser. She engraves on wood, acrylic, glass, vinyl, and other materials. Some of her palettes have been aluminum cake pans, cork trivets, beer mugs, bamboo cutting boards, and vacuum insulated stainless steel travel mugs. She has also created several wooden items such as earrings, key chains, and ornaments. She primarily sells these at craft and vendor shows and at events like the Harlem Seed Show and Malta Specialty Fair. However, her handiwork is available via the internet, as well. Anyone interested can see English's work on Facebook at Eva's Laser Engraving Etc.
