Earle librarian stepping down

Earle librarian stepping down

Cox retiring after productive tenure at branch

focused on community

news@theeveningtimes.com

P.J. Cox — or P.J. Ewing as she was known then — never expected to work full time when she agreed to take over the Earle Library branch.

It was only supposed to be for a short time until they found a full-time librarian.

“I was retired when I got here (in 2013),” Cox said.

“And they asked me to run it until they found someone. Well, they never did find anyone.”

After four years of being the head librarian, Cox will be stepping down next week and “retiring” for a second time.

Cox, who was originally from the area, retired as a Special Ed teacher at the University of Michigan and moved to Edmondson in 2013. She didn’t have any formal library training, but had a passion for libraries and started volunteering at the library in Edmondson.

She thought she would find a few books to enjoy, but instead found a new calling. The county took notice of her work in Edmondson and hired her as acting Library manager for the Earle branch.

She agreed to take the job on one condition — only if she would be allowed to run it like a classroom.

“The only thing I knew was teaching,” Cox said.

“So they agreed — as long as I stayed within the boundaries of the library system.”

Cox became a tireless advocate for the Earle library by raising awareness in the community that Earle had a library and focusing her attention on the city’s youth and seniors.

She started the Pen Pal Readers program where youngsters read two books a week, read to others, write book reports, and serve as library ambassadors, and found activities for seniors through quilting.

Cox also assembled a collection of recipes from area residents and published it as a community cookbook called “A Taste of Earle.”

Also under her watch, the library also received $8,000 for new computers, desks and chair, and she succeeded in convincing the city to donate land to build a new 1,800 square foot library on to replace the old one, which is only 600 square feet.

Cox was recognized for her work with a write-up in the spring 2016 Arkansas Libraries newsletter for her efforts to get the community more involved with the library.

“I’m proud of what we all did,” Cox said. “I did what the Lord put me here to do.

I tried to enhance and help the town.”

Cox credits Head County Librarian Debbe Davenport for making it possible to implement her ideas in Earle.

“My director, Debbe, is so sweet,” Cox said. “She made sure I got everything I needed for the kids and seniors. What can I say?”

Cox said she plans to take time to travel with her husband, Harrison, who retired after 24 years in the Military overseas in Germany and another 20 years in law enforcement in Virginia.

“He’s retired as well,” Cox said. “So we’re going to travel and take it easy and enjoy life.”

Davenport said Cox will be sorely missed.

“We are sad that we are losing P.J. at the Earle library,” Davenport said.

“She was a big advocate for the branch in Earle and hate to see her go.”

Cox said she will miss seeing the kids and seniors at the library, but is proud of the work that has been done at the library in Earle.

“To me, I think I am proudest of the fact that I let people know that the library is here,” Cox said. “It is a hub for learning and education. That’s what I use it for. Children utilize it. Adults utilize it. Seniors utilize it. There were people in Earle who didn’t know we had a library.

Now they do. And we have so any different people coming here.”

By Mark Randall