This week’s article was going to be on quite a different subject. However, recent events have changed a great many things.

On Good Friday, our good friend and valued colleague Kathy Grey passed away suddenly.

It was a shock to everyone who knew her, especially her uncle Joe Schwindenhammer, her brother Jim Grey and her many friends. Our community here at the library mourns her passing, too. She touched their daily lives with kindness and consideration.

When I first met Kathy, back in 2014, she was quite shy and reserved. It wasn’t long before her wicked sense of humor and her kind and caring nature began to show. Always ready with an apt quip, she said she learned from an expert. (You know who you are, John).

We had such good fun, and the job was so enjoyable when we worked together. I envied Judy Shelley as she worked more with Kathy, and they became fast friends.

During the “big cleanup,” Kathy showed her dedication to the library by working nonstop to clean and prepare the library for reopening. When Sandra came to lead the library, Kathy supported her and rejoiced to see the library evolve into a clean, bright, welcoming community asset.

Kathy took on the responsibility of researching and ordering books for the library, something she took very seriously. She often worked at home to ensure books were ordered on time.

She undertook training to enrich her knowledge of cataloging as well as training to use the Inter Library Loan system. Cataloging involves putting the books into the computer system so they could be borrowed electronically.

Since I started working at the library, Kathy has been invaluable in her insight into how the library works. She has been a friend and supporter, thinking through all the ramifications of decisions the staff makes.

Amy, Kathy and I have been a strong core team, ably assisted by Daryl, Ben and Meg.

The staff, the library board of trustees and our wonderful patrons will all miss her dreadfully.

Rest in peace, Kathy Grey.

APRIL BOOKS

Fiction: “The Cemetery of Untold Stories,” Julia Alvarez; “A Calamity of Souls,” David Baldacci; “It Had To Be You,” Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke; “The Reaper Follows,” Heather Graham; “Funny Story,” Emily Henry; “Darling Girls,” Sally Hepworth; “Daughter of Mine,” Megan Miranda; “The Murder Inn,” James Patterson and Candice Fox; “Extinction,” Douglas Preston; “Only the Brave,” Danielle Steel; “The Summer We Started Over,” Nancy Thayer; “Table for Two,” Amor Towles

Nonfiction: “Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism,” Stephen Breyer; “A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks,” David Gibbins; “An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s,” Doris Kearns Goodwin; “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,” Jonathan Haidt; “The Demon of Unrest,” Erik Larson; “The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians,” James Patterson and Matt Eversmann; “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” Salman Rushdie

Juvenile: “Who Is Taylor Swift?” Kirsten Anderson; “Katie, Batter Up! (Cupcake Diaries Graphic Novel #5),” Coco Simon

Young adult: “Against the Darkness,” Kendare Blake; “The Reappearance of Rachel Price,” Holly Jackson

Children’s picture books: “Pete the Kitty and the Three Bears,” James and Kimberly Dean; “The Cool Bean Makes a Splash,” Jory John; “You’re Going To Love This Book,” Jory John; “Addie Ant Goes on an Adventure,” Maren Morris; “Curious George Roller Coaster,” H.A. Rey; “Two Together,” Brendan Wenzel

Board book: “Eye Guess: A Forest Animal Guessing Game,” Phyllis Limbacher Tildes