BY MELISSA PYLE
Telegraph Staff Writer
STARKE — There are many aspects to local life that can easily be taken for granted, but once a person announces an end is in sight to a beloved part of daily life, it is then everyone realizes what has been accomplished. At the end of 2022, Bradford County will say goodbye to its friend in library services, Cyndy Weeks.
For forty-four years, Weeks has served Bradford County in the public library. She began her career at the library when it was just a small space on Walnut Street that now serves as the city’s fire station. She was young and excited to work alongside, then library director, Grace Jordan.
Weeks said that before everything was electronic, she spent much of her time retyping catalogue cards and filing. Jordan taught Weeks everything about the library and once Jordan retired, Weeks began her new role as assistant library director.
The library was not just a professional part of her life, but also personal. The Bradford County Library is where Weeks met and married her husband of thirty-four years, fellow librarian, Arnold D. Weeks Jr.
Weeks said she has seen a lot of changes over the four decades of serving at the Bradford County Library. The move from the old firehouse to the new location on Pratt Street was a much needed change and gave the community a larger, modern space to read, meet and learn. Having a modern library with many programs is something people need and look for in a new city. Weeks said she has had new residents come in to the library just to see what’s offered because newcomers know that the quality of the library is a reflection of how the local government invests in the community.
Weeks has helped bring many programs to the local library over the years. She said one of her favorite seasonal events is getting the library staff involved with the pumpkin carving contest. She also has a personal favorite project: Crafting Hands.
Weeks said there were programs for crafting, but she wanted “a high quality craft program” that could be offered for free. She has loved having this option for the community for almost 13 years and says it’s one of the things she will greatly miss.
Among other things Weeks said she will miss the people and also, processing all the new books. Weeks love for people and new books has created an environment of shared creativity and community at the library.
Many of Weeks’ fellow employees spoke highly of her ability to teach them everything she knows and lovingly pointing them in the right direction. Kimberly Crawford is one such employee who said, “She’s my mentor and other mom and anything I know [about the library] is because of her.”
As times have changed, one thing has remained the same and Weeks said it best: “The local library is a community center.” Weeks has done her best to make the Bradford County Public Library a community center that is full of creative programs and decorations. Programs at the library vary for all ages and interests.
Even now, as the library has become a place that has morphed from paper books to digital and online reading and research, Weeks has made it her mission to not only run the library well, but keep the community coming back.
As she retires at the end of 2022, Weeks won’t be far from her home away from home. As a longtime Bradford resident, she will be stopping in to support her local library and see many familiar faces.
Upon retiring Weeks plans to do some light traveling, a lot of crafting, finish some home remodeling and, of course, do a lot of reading.
