Photo courtesy of Homewood Public Library
Bridget Turner retired form the Homewood Public Library in December of 2024, marking 25 years of service.
Bridget Turner never imagined she would build a career at the Homewood Public Library when she walked in looking for part-time work in 1997.
“I had been a social worker for 12 years, and I had done enough. I didn’t work for two, and I lived in the Homewood area — my husband, myself and my daughter,” Turner said. “I came to the library because, at that time, there was an employment agency downstairs. I said, ‘I’m just going to go back to work. I’m going to start looking for something part-time.’”
A library employee looked over Turner’s résumé as she was making a copy and liked what she saw. The employee asked Turner if she would be interested in a position the library was hiring for, at least until she found something else. Turner said yes, and the rest is history.
Turner started in the circulation department before working for Homewood Parks and Recreation for a year. In 1999, she returned to the library full time, joining the adult services department. For the past 25 years, she worked in the teen and adult department.
“The bulk of my job description was customer service, readers’ advisory — where we suggest different books and audiobooks for the patrons — and I was the queen of display,” Turner said. “I was a proctor for test proctoring, and I was a notary public.”
Turner became known for her thoughtful touches as a notary. She notarized marriage certificates, creating a sign and bouquet for brides to hold during their celebrations. She also gave couples a $20 bill, instructing them to save it and look at it one year later. One couple returned on their anniversary to let her know they were still happily married.
Her other responsibilities included ordering audiobooks and e-books, shelving books, proctoring exams for students, and deleting items from the system until that responsibility was handed back to the technical services department. She also served as the sole member of the Sunshine Committee, organizing events like birthdays and tailgate parties. Today, the committee has grown into a full team.
I enjoyed the years, and I will miss them.
Bridget Turner
Her title as “Queen of the Displays” was well-earned. She decorated the window by the periodical section to match the seasons and holidays, with themes like “Snow Place Like Homewood,” a poetry tree, and a fireplace. Her decorations often expanded across the department, spilling onto bookshelves with creative individual displays.
During her time at the library, Turner had the opportunity to visit the Homewood Public Library in Illinois. The two libraries often get mixed up, and patrons sometimes call the wrong number or have books sent to the wrong location.
Turner’s last day with the library was Dec. 29, 2024. She officially celebrated her retirement, her 62nd birthday, and her 40th wedding anniversary on Jan. 11, 2025. In retirement, Turner plans to focus on volunteering and traveling with her husband, Charles, and daughter, Stephanie. However, she said she will miss the library and its patrons.
“I will miss them,” she said. “I enjoyed the years, and I will miss them.”
