Correspondent photo / Nancilynn Gatta Holden Taylor, 10, of Hubbard, takes a pretend food order from Mary Anne Russo, the children’s librarian at Hubbard Public Library, in the pretend kitchen of the children’s area. Russo’s last day was Friday after 37 years.

HUBBARD — For Mary Anne Russo, life has come full circle.

“I grew up in West Middlesex, Pa., and was actually a patron of Hubbard Public Library during elementary and high school,” Russo said.

After 37 years working there, she retired Friday.

While she held the title of Youth Services Supervisor, Russo viewed herself as the children’s librarian, which she was.

“I knew from a fairly young age that I wanted to be a librarian, and I enjoy working with children. I love their curiosity and spontaneity,” she said.

At her recent retirement celebration, Russo was surrounded by children who attend her story times, such as Tron Pascarella, 6, and Xavier Pascarella, 4, both of Hubbard, in addition to former students who are now in high school such as Alessandea Matteo, a senior at Ursuline High School, and junior high schoolers such as Oliese Matteo, a seventh-grade home-schooled student. Both are from West Middlesex.

Russo’s library work experience started at a young age.

“I loved going to the library. I was a library aide in high school,” she said.

That experience only served to encourage her as she entered college.

“I worked in the college library while earning my undergraduate degree,” Russo said.

After graduating from her hometown’s high school, she double majored in elementary education and library science for an undergraduate degree at Slippery Rock University, and then received a master’s degree in library science from Clarion University.

Although her education took place in schools and universities in Pennsylvania, her first professional library job was in Ohio.

“I started my career as a children’s librarian at the Ritter Public library in Vermilion. I spent a little more than four years there,” Russo said.

After that, Russo returned to Hubbard Public Library. Using her creative vision, she brought many positive changes and enhancements to the children’s area since her hiring.

“I transformed the children’s room from a dark basement to an inviting space featuring natural lighting and an indoor gazebo, a dedicated room for children’s programs and an outdoor sensory garden. In 2020, a toy lending library was established adjacent to the children’s room to provide hands-on learning resources for families and educators,” Russo said.

The children’s area became a joyous place of fun and learning. Russo’s exuberance and her willingness to participate in the children’s imaginative activities were displayed when she played along the Taylor children — Holden, Sylvie and Claudia — during her retirement celebration. They took her food order, made her meal and brought her a beverage in the make-believe kitchen of the “family restaurant” inside the children’s area.

She also created engaging, literacy-based programs and multigeneration programs with seniors at a nearby assisted living facility. The collaborative program benefits the children and the elders.

It was obvious by the turnout for her retirement celebration in the children’s room at the library that Russo is beloved by the library’s children and youth patrons as well as their parents.

Since she has been the children’s librarian for more than three decades, Russo has watched multiple generations go to high school, college and become adults.

“Many children who attended my story times have grown up to have children of their own who now attend,” she said.

Natalie Herzberger of Hubbard came with her mom, Kathy, to wish Russo a happy retirement. Natalie attended Russo’s story times as a child and she informed Russo that she is getting married soon.

Dan Schultz of Hubbard recalled bringing his granddaughter, Alaina Killen, 10, to the library. They also attended Russo’s retirement celebration, where Alaina reminisced with her former children’s librarian about programs and activities that she participated in at the library.

“We always came to story time and craft time. It was grandpa, granddaughter day,” Schultz said.

Russo said she appreciated the families who brought their children to the library’s programs to open their eyes and minds to reading adventures.

She said to the Taylor children’s father, Gary, “Thank you for sharing your children with me.”

Looking back at her career, Russo realized she was exactly where she wanted to be that she envisioned as a young child.

“I sensed at a very young age that I would grow up to be a librarian. I enjoyed using my creativity to share my love of books and reading with families. It has been rewarding to reach generations of readers,” she said.

After 42 years professionally and working in the field while pursuing her education, Russo realized, “I have never worked anywhere other than a library.”

While she will no longer be singing the story time song to toddlers at Hubbard Public Library, Russo will find new ways to use her creativity as she plans to spend more time with her husband, Anthony, and her yorkie mix dog, Simon.