If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to say good-bye to Gail, Monday is your last chance. It’s hard to believe it, but Gail is actually, really, truly outta here retiring as of May 1st. The months-long process of cleaning out her desk and organizing her files has been completed. Rachel has been trained, and having now submitted her first balanced cash report, is ready to take over. Duane has finally stopped crying (in public at least).

The only known photo of Gail in existence

As is customary in Room 122, an occasion such as Gail’s retirement could not pass without consuming a large quantity of food. Even though there had been a library-wide retirement party in the Link last month, Gail’s office-mates wanted to take her out one last time to celebrate. So we booked a private room in Marquis Hall, and proceeded to stuff our faces! (I’m not naming names, but I saw more than one person going for thirds. We were all very sleepy from our food comas afterwards.)

Very official

Kelly, sorry I put a picture of you eating on the internet.

Christine had already given a speech in Gail’s honour at the Link retirement party, but this time, it was Lisa S. who said a few words about Gail and thanked her for her years at the library.

Lisa’s speech made us both laugh and cry

Good-bye Gail! We’ll miss you very much! Gail, we’re sad to see you leave us, but very happy to know that you will enjoy your well-deserved retirement after a long and successful career in the library. And Rachel, you’re going to have to work very hard to become the new “work mom” for the rest of the circulation unit.