Librarians at the JOY Program: Lest We Forget

October 30, 2014

Librarians at the JOY Program: Lest We Forget

Marjory Cornelius, JOY Program, Middle Musquodoboit

I see grandparents sitting with children looking at books. A book is still special. - Marjory Cornelius

Librarians visited Family Resource Centre in Middle Musquodoboit for the JOY Program (Just Older Youth). The group meets once a month for lunch and a presentation. Today, Halifax Public Libraries is offering a presentation called Lest We Forget. Each presentation looks at old files from World War I. After the presentation each participant will review the files including the name of the soldier, the community they’re from and their history. There’s very interesting stories to be discovered in these files.

Marjory Cornelius is a member of the JOY Program. She is a retired minister who works part-time.

What are your thoughts on today's presentation?

The library provided an interesting presentation with lots of knowledge--we certainly wouldn’t have reviewed those files without the library. Libraries are important; people just don’t know what’s in them! I was looking at a beautiful young woman who was a nurse in the war in my service file, trying to imagine what she was thinking and feeling when she was serving. She died there and didn’t come back to her family – I’m sure she had plans for her life that never came to be.

It was a war that they thought was going to be brief and it lasted a very long time--the people that went into the war were not prepared for what they found. Listen to the chatter in the room--[the seniors] are still talking about it! They will take this information home and share it with their families. Libraries give us things to think about and challenge us to go beyond our small community.

What is the value of the library?

It’s a place to go find questions answered, to meet authors, and read new books. There’s so much information in the library. It’s unique. Libraries hold information and are a friendly place through all the people that you meet and get to know. There is intelligence and all kinds of things that are waiting for us to tap into.

What’s the library’s role in the community?

It is certainly a great place for those of us in rural areas to meet to talk about authors and ask questions. Libraries are assets no matter where they’re located. 

First memory of the library?

Boy that’s a long way back! I think I probably went the first time with my school class, I loved books and I still do, it certainly whet my appetite and I wanted to read. And I still read.

Why is it important to read and have libraries?

It keeps me young! It gives us more information – and keeps our brains active.

Why is the JOY program important?

You’ll notice that we have wonderful companions and friends. We are a family. When I come in I always say “I’m home” and they always know who it is.

Why is storytelling so important?

How would we find out anything without storytellers? It’s important that we can learn so much from one another.