Ms Pam retires

Pam Sikora’s career might have taken an unexpected turn four decades ago, but she did spend her working days doing exactly what she set out to do – guiding children and their parents. 

In early October, “Ms. Pam,” officially left her post as library services assistant in the children’s department at Simsbury Public Library. 

It was 1985 during a visit to library in Simsbury with her infant son Michael, to whom she had been reading since he was in the womb, that Pam started on a new journey. At the time, the facility still operated at what is now the Simsbury Free Library.

“The children’s department was in the basement with all the mice and the mold but there was an atmosphere there. … that was very warm and welcoming,” Pam said. “And I remember saying to one of the gals there at the time, ‘if a part-time job ever comes up let me know.’ And she said, ‘well as a matter of fact, we do have an opening.’ So, I thought that I’d apply, and the rest is history.”

Pam, who has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Central Connecticut State University in Elementary Education, Special Education and Reading, had previously taught in Torrington for seven years. 

But Pam felt she couldn’t give her all to full-time teaching while raising a family. 

“Once I came [to the library], I was so happy here,” she said, adding that teaching – like parenting – requires 120 percent. “So, I know a lot of people do it and I admire them, but I could not have done that.”

During her time at the library, Pam spent 13-plus years teaching nursery school and kindergarten at Farmington Valley Jewish congregation. 

Those years were busy, but the jobs allowed her to be near her kids. Importantly, the library’s flexibility allowed her and husband Ed to be ever-present for Michael and their daughter, Jessica. 

And Simsbury Public Library has been the constant. She’s been part time in the children’s department for all these years. She even turned down the chance to work full-time upstairs.  

“I really wanted to stay in the children’s department,” Pam said. “Being a teacher and loving teaching children, that’s where I needed to be.”

Of course, Pam has seen a lot of changes. She worked just a few months in the old building before the new library was open. The renovations that debuted in June of 2008 included a much larger – and brighter children’s space. 

Technology, of course is also much different. Pam recollects that she’s worked in 5 or 6 different operating systems. The first was a more primitive version of a system known as CARL. She remembers a black screen with green lettering. 

“Basically, all you did was check books in and out …. That’s what I remember anyway,” she said. 

She sometimes misses the old card catalogs but has adopted well to the technology. Of course, she is her own wealth of knowledge. 

When Pam first started, the Simsbury library had what was known as realia – with puppets, puzzles and games for checkout. 

Pam is thrilled that so many people are still reading books but today, of course, there are increasingly digitized databases, e-readers, new forms of media and so much more available. There are also new areas like a maker space with traditional and cutting-edge technologies. Patrons can even check out everything from a cornhole game to a baking pan, she noted. 

“We have reinvented ourselves and we have kept with the public’s needs, which I find very commendable,” she said. 

Pam also recalls how the library stepped up during a pandemic and natural disasters, such as holding a Halloween party following the October 2011 snowstorm that caused so many outages and other consternation. 

“It was so wonderful. I think we had well over 500 people come through that night with their children.”

And giving back isn’t just an occasional thing. 

“The other thing I like about this library – it’s not just the things that we have for patrons to take out but it’s a community,” she said. “We have food drives here; we have a hat and mitten tree for underprivileged children in the city; we’re a warming and a cooling center; we [host] blood drives here.  We’re very much aware of community needs and we’re like the heart of the town.” 

She’s also proud that the library accepts everyone.

“That’s one of the things I love about this library is that we are very inclusive. Everybody is welcome here. We have materials for everybody and the fact that we don’t ban books – I’m very proud of that, very proud of that.”

Pam is also grateful for the support of the community, the town and Friends of the Library. 

“It’s just amazing we were able to do as much as we did for the public. I am glad the town supports this library as much as it does.”

“Friends of the Simsbury Public library are an amazing group of people and what they do for this library is incomparable,” Pam added. 

Pam has plenty to keep her busy in retirement. Her priority is spending time with her husband Ed, their  kids Michael and Jessica, and a 6-year-old granddaughter, Madison.

One thing she plans to do with Ed is travel. The two love exploring the country but she also wants to bring her husband to places abroad, especially Italy, where at age 16, she was part of an 8-week study group that went through 8 countries. 

“Italy was just amazing,” she said adding that she was enthralled with “the history, the architecture, the art. I would love to take him there.”

She also wants to visit another foreign locale. 

“The other place I really wanted to go was Ireland because I do have some Irish blood in me and I’ve always had this longing to go to Ireland – meet a leprechaun or two.” 

 Pam also has many hobbies, such as gardening, cooking, needlework and scrapbooking, that she plans to pursue to a much greater degree. 

And, of course, there will be more time for reading – which she still does with physical books. 

Fiction is her favorite, and she said she goes through phases, reading topics such as romance, historical fiction and so much more. 

She also thinks adults should take time for children’s books. She loves the classics but also feels there are so many good new titles. 

“I am amazed at - after all these years - there’s new subjects and new artists and a new take on something and the books are just incredibly beautiful. And actually, adults should read children’s books because there is so much out there that’s worthwhile.”

Pam won’t be a stranger to the library but her presence behind the desk will be missed. 

“Pam has touched the lives of thousands of families over the past 40 years,” said Lisa Miceli, Director, Simsbury Public Library. “Library visitors always stop and say hello to Ms. Pam.  She has a kind word and smile for everyone.  Our community has been so fortunate to have had her service for such a long time.  Pam will be missed by everyone.”

Likewise, Pam said retirement will be bittersweet. Most of all, she wants to thank “the town, my co-workers and the public for 40 years of happiness and fulfillment.”

“I think the absolute joy of this job has been the people - the people I work with, [and] our patrons are just inspiring and wonderful,” Pam said. “That’s what really keeps me going is the contact with people.”

“How many people can say that they love coming into work and they still smile when they leave work?” she added. “This job has been a gift to me.” VL