St Ann Parish Library awards long-serving staff
THE ST Ann Parish Library network has recognised 30 staff members in St Ann who have served the organisation from 10 to 24 years, as the Jamaica Library Service celebrates its 70th year of service to Jamaica.
The workers were presented with plaques at a recent ceremony at the library.
Thirteen staff members were given bronze awards for serving 10 to 14 years; eight were presented with silver awards for serving 15 to 19 years, and nine picked up gold awards for serving 20 to 24 years.
Kishma Simpson, acting senior director for the Jamaica Library Service, who brought greetings, congratulated the awardees and encouraged them to continue serving with distinction.
“We recognise our staff, 30 members here at the St Ann Parish Library, for their hard work and unwavering commitment to delivering an effective and efficient library service to the public and, really, to the people of Jamaica,” Simpson later told The Gleaner.
Simpson said that as part of the library’s 70th anniversary, all-13 parish libraries will have long service awards to recognise their staff.
“We really want to use this appreciation to show our staff how we appreciate them for the work that they do, and how they contribute to our mandate to really bring access to information services right across the island.”
The awardees, drawn from the parish library in St Ann’s Bay and the branch libraries across the parish, were grateful for being recognised for their contribution to the library service.
Fabian Smith, technical operator/driver, who has worked with the library service for 21 years, told The Gleaner that he enjoys his job.
“I’m a technical operator. I drive, so I get the opportunity to go all over the country, take the librarian to different meetings at the branches and so forth,” he said.
“My job is exciting. It gives me the opportunity to meet new people. It’s an honour to know that you’ve been working with an organisation and they can actually appreciate you.”
Library assistant at the Bamboo Branch Library, Kamisue Mills, who has served for 15 years, said, “It feels good to be recognised for my contribution,” while Cynthia Hinds Campbell, office cleaner and attendant with 10 years of service, said she hopes to continue serving the library.
“I’m proud to serve the public. My job is to serve the community coming [in] and going out of the library. And working with the boss is excellent,” she added.
Guest speaker at the event, Deputy Superintendent of Police Denise Shaw-McKain, congratulated the recipients and encouraged them to continue serving, a sentiment expressed also by chairman of the library, Radcliffe Walters.