Aronimink library to be renamed for former Upper Darby librarian
UPPER DARBY >> A library in an Upper Darby school will be named in honor of a school librarian who spent decades educating district children.
The Upper Darby School Board is expecting to approve a change in facility name request at the Oct. 9 meeting to allow the library at Aronimink Elementary School to take the name of Kathryn Dwojeski, a librarian who spent 25 year at the school before retiring in 2012. Dwojeski died in February from cancer.
“During those years she inspired over 2,000 students, parents, and colleagues,” read the facility name change request application by Aronimink teacher Jean Furey. “Not only did she personally influence and inspire the Aronimink community, her legacy reached further as district coordinator and mentor to her fellow librarians in the district, community and county.”
The name change was met with universal acceptance by the board when presented with the application at a Sept. 25 committee meeting.
“One of the things I remember about Kate so much is when we had a fire at our library,” said board member Judy Gentile about a fire at the library in the mid-2000s. “I was there at midnight and you would have thought Kate’s house burned. She was so upset, but ready to get busy, and not before long that library was back in shape again.
“Her voice was heard not only in Aronimink, but in every library in this district. She was quite a wonderful person and I heartily endorse this.”
Board members Lee Jordan, Don Fields and Ken Rucci also expressed their support of the name change at the meeting.
According to Joanna Mulholland, who presented the application to the board, a plaque donning the library as “Kate’s Place” will be featured at the library and include the following inscription: “In celebration of the life of Kate Dwojeskilibrarian, teacher, mentor and friends, may you always find a good book to read within these walls.”
The renaming of the Aronimink library will be the second such name change of a facility in the district since the school board adopted Policy 701.1 in May 2014 that allows the renamed of district facilities. The auditorium at Beverly Hill Middle School was the first such facility to be renamed under the policy, being renamed the Brad Schoener Auditorium in October 2014, after an admired music teacher whose work inspired camps and organizations in his name to promote music education in the Upper Darby community.