Carroll Library Director Rachel Van Erdewyk’s last official day at the library will be exactly five years from when she started. She took over at the helm in 2017 in the midst of planning for the city hall relocation and renovations to the existing facility. Van Erdewyk recalls how quickly things were moving when she started in the role.
However, she says all that work was worth it when they saw the completed facility.
The library also features a public Maker Space, more natural lighting, an improved computer lab, and more. Van Erdewyk’s time as library director included the challenge of maintaining service during the pandemic. Staff were forced to move all the library’s materials to a temporary location while renovations were underway, and when they were finally ready to open, businesses and offices closed in response to COVID. She says the value of a strong library was made obvious as people cut back on time spent outside of their homes.
Once the pandemic waned, Van Erdewyk says patrons were excited to begin using their new library in earnest. Her last official day as library director is Tuesday, May 17, and the Friends of the Library are hosting a farewell coffee that morning to thank her for her service. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., patrons are invited to the library to wish her well as Van Erdewyk and her family relocate to the Des Moines metro. Two staff members, Parveen Karim and Judy Behm, will serve as interim directors until Van Erdewyk’s replacement is hired.
