Mary Margaret Wagner and Carol Watt
Recorded
March 30, 2011
43:27 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
DDD000494
Description
Best friends, Mary Margaret Wagner (62) and Carol Watt (66), reminisce about their 40 year friendship that began when they were coworkers at Peter White Public Library in Marquette, MI.Subject Log / Time Code
CW remembers her first day of work at the Peter White Public Library. They brought her to the Children’s Room, but it was too loud and noisy for CW. So she started working at the circulation desk. She had been coming to the library every two weeks since she was a child. MW also worked at the library at the time. She remembers thinking CW would be boring because she had children.
MW gave CW a ride home from work on the first day and they became friends quickly. Almost everyone who worked at the library was a woman. MW was originally against the library expansion, but she loves it now -- it’s more than just books.
Both MW and CW are voracious readers. MW loves the smell, feel, etc of books. MW worked at PWPL for 3 or 4 years and she loved talking to patrons and recommending books. The change from card catalog to computers was hard for MW.
CW liked the quiet of library compared to her hectic home life with children. CW is very organized and she keeps a schedule every day and every week. MW is the exact opposite.
MW and CW used to go out every weekend and had fun -- bellbottoms and beads. MW and CW are “blissfully retired” now. MW plays bassoon with a group in Canada every year, but MW likes rock and roll instead of classical music.
MW and CW supported each other through divorces and hard times. MW lived with CW for seven weeks after her last divorce. “People who don’t return their library books will burn in hell.” MW and CW will live together at the nursing home.
Participants
- Mary Margaret Wagner
- Carol Watt