Judy Edwards: A lifetime of love for libraries

Judy Edwards clearly remembers when she fell in love with libraries.

She lived in the Wisconsin countryside when she was a little girl and moved into the county seat of Black River Falls when she was in the fifth grade. Someone told her about a library in town and she set out to find it.

"It was one of the original Andrew Carnegie libraries in Black River," she said. "I can remember walking in there, up those marble steps into this one big room, books everywhere, and right straight ahead at this big desk, this big impressive desk, was this little lady with her black horn-rimmed glasses, Mrs. Perry. I’ll never forget. You know, you remember your first teacher’s name — I remember my first librarian’s name. She’d welcome me, this shy little kid, and I just found a home there and that was it."

It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship for a fifth-grader who was already an avid reader.

"It just opened a world," Edwards said. "Every place I’ve lived, every town I’ve ever lived in, the first place I go is to get a library card."

Now, many years later, Edwards has a lifetime of community involvement and library support to be proud of. On Aug. 23, she officially stepped down from 10 years as the president of the Friends of the Library, a nonprofit that promotes the library, assists in fundraising and completes any tasks needed to make the library the best it can be. During her tenure, Edwards was active in getting the new library at 702 E. Front Ave. built.

"I was one of the shovelers at the groundbreaking, which was pretty cool," she said with a grin.

But just because she's no longer in her role as Friends president doesn't mean she's done serving her community. She continues to be a leader with Habitat for Humanity, the League of Women Voters of Idaho and the Coeur d'Alene Women's Club.

And she'll still be doing as much as she can in that book-filled building she loves.

“It’s just a wonderful thing that we have,” she said. “Never have I ever been to a library where the staff was not helpful and polite. Where else can you go and just know that you’re welcome like that? Everybody is welcome.”

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What is it that the Friends of the Library does and what was your job was as president?

"The Friends function at this library is to staff the (Second Story Books) bookstore and provide refreshments for library events. That’s our main two functions. Behind the scenes, I do other stuff as well, whatever needs done (such as) boxing books to go to Goodwill. Since this library opened, we have sent like 2,500 boxes of books to Goodwill that we have not been able to sell in the bookstore. So just handling that, and kind of grunt work."

Who is taking over? How are you feeling having moved out of that role and passed the torch?

"Peggy Appleman. And you know, it’s a relief. I’ve got so many other things going on. It’s kind of a relief not to have that responsibility and now I can just do all the things I really love to do around the library. It has been such an easy job. Nobody gives us any static. It’s a great place to volunteer."

What are some of the things that you’re most proud of in your time as president?

"Our bookstore, from inception, has been averaging $1,000 a month to (go toward) whatever the library needs it for. It goes to them. It’s amazing, we’re selling 25-cent books, $1 books, $2, books. Whatever (library director) Bette (Ammon) asks us for, and we have to beg her sometimes, ‘Come on Bette, spend some of this money’ — she’s getting better at it. We just voted to spend $1,000 to help fund automatic doors at the back entrance, which she requested. There’s lots of mothers with strollers and people in wheelchairs that need to get in that back way, and it’s a struggle, so we’re helping to fund that."

Why did you get involved with the Coeur d'Alene Public Library in the first place?

“I got involved here because I had just moved here and I went to Jewett House because I thought I had read that there was a meeting of a quilting group over there. I get there and there’s nobody but Julie Meier, who is the prior director of the library, and another woman sitting there visiting. I went in and said, ‘Where’s the quilt thing?’ and no quilting. I said, ‘I’m new in town and I’m looking for this and that, and she introduced herself as the director of the library. I said, ‘Really!? OK!’ and she said, ‘You have to go find our library and join the Friends.’ So I did."

As somebody who loves libraries and reading, why do you feel people should support their local library or libraries in general?

"To me, there is not a more democratic institution in this country than public libraries. Anybody, everybody can come in the doors and be welcome, no questions asked. One question’s asked when you want to walk out the door with an armload of their product, and that is, ‘Do you live here?’ and that’s it. There is one exception to what I’ve said; I have heard upon occasion people being asked one question that might keep them out of the library temporarily, and that is, ‘Is that a service dog?’ That is the only question in all the years, and it’s a recent thing. People never brought their dogs to the library, but it does get to be an issue."

I know you’re involved with Habitat for Humanity and the League of Women Voters. What are some of the things you’ve done in those roles, and why are you attracted to that sort of work?

"I like doing things that people appreciate. And I find that I’m kind of a loner at heart but I find social satisfaction in working with people on things. I can’t just go to coffee and chit chat. I’ve made a lot of friends here, and we work a soup kitchen crew out at the Lutheran Church of the Master feeding walk-ins. Here again, friends, we work together. And I’m state president of League of Women Voters. Are you registered to vote?! (laughs) Voter registration day is Sept. 27 and we’re going to be out there. Get registered to vote! I’ve just taken on president of the Coeur d’Alene Women’s Club. The Women’s Club started the library years ago."

Can you describe the joy you get from seeing your projects completed and looking back and knowing that you had a hand in so much?

"It’s nice to know that we’re contributing to the library whatever we can."

What’s next for Judy Edwards?

"With Habitat, I’m going to see if I can coordinate a faith-based service. I’ve been assigned that. I’m going to go travel as much as I can with my friend Eula Hickam, she drags me into a lot of this stuff. And I don’t know, I mean, I’m 75 years old, I don’t plan like 10 years out any more!"