Checking out from MedBow Library

Bonnie Culver first went to work for the Medicine Bow Library 15 years ago.

"This is a sad and happy day," Culver said as librarians from all over the county came inside to wish Culver well in her retirement. "I am touched by all that have come by so far."

A small party was thrown for Culver from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on May 20 at the Medicine Bow Library to honor her years of service.

Culver decided a couple months ago it was time for her leave.

"My macular degeneration is making it hard to read small words," Culver said. "It just became time."

Culver came to Medicine Bow in 1972 and worked for the Medicine Bow Conservation District and the police department. When the librarian job came open in 2006, Culver who was retired, knew the job would be a good fit.

"I love the books, the kids and the people who come to find books to read," Culver said. "What is there not to love about the job? It was a perfect job for me."

Culver had positive words for the main branch of the Carbon County Library System headquartered in Rawlins, including the staff there.

"They get me new books and if I ever needed anything, they usually get it for me," Culver said. "I am going to miss working here terribly."

Culver was born in the center of the dust bowl in Texas in a town called Dalhart. She met her husband Glen and they moved to Colorado for a few years and then New Mexico.

"He was in construction near Taos and his boss moved to the uranium mines out by Shirley Basin and my husband followed," Culver said. "That is how we came to Carbon County. We ended up raising three kids here."

One thing Culver said she was happy to see during her years at the library was a group of women that would have tea and discuss books. She said the group stopped meeting last year during COVID, but kids came over to hear Culver read them books and filled that same time.

"I locked the doors for the kids to make sure I was compliant for COVID restrictions of the time," she said,

Culver said that although technology has helped her with her job, she is a person who will never read books on a tablet.

"I like the feel of turning pages," Culver said. "I appreciate how technology can make the job easier. When I first worked here, we stamped books. Computers were just starting to come in use. But when it comes to holding a book physically, that is how I read and probably always will."

Jake Mickelsen, the Carbon County Library Executive Director said Culver will be missed.

"Bonnie caught the full end of the Wyoming digital transition," Mickelson said. "It has been extraordinary to work with a person that has literally been a librarian half my life. She has been such an excellent resource."

He said her devotion to the community and library is going to be hard to replace.

"During COVID last year she was out checking on people," Mickelsen said. "She is really plugged into Medicine Bow, Carbon County and the kids. She has a really great relationship with them all."

He said Culver always goes beyond the call of duty.

"She found a way during COVID to do safe story time, which took effort on her part," Mickelsen said. "And she was friendly with out-of-towners. Medicine Bow has about 10 percent of its books returned from people who don't live here, but this is a convenient drop off point for them when traveling between Laramie and Casper."

Mickelsen said Culver spearheaded facility upgrades. Under her efforts, a bench was put outside, a library box with free books inside was installed and she got friends and neighbors to paint the building last year.

"It just goes to show what a phenomenal job she has done, that the community rallies around her," Mickelsen said. "We are really going to miss her."

Culver's parting words about leaving her job is telling about how much she cares about the place she worked for the last 15 years.

"I just wish and hope that people continue to read books," Culver said. "The world is a better place because of libraries."