Photos were the order of the day when Cheryle Miller, center, was surprised with a party in honor of her 50 yeaers of employment at Rhinelander District Library. Taking the photo is Denise Chojnacki, children’s services director; left of Miller is Rachel Metzler with WVLS and at right is Kris Wendt, former RDL director. Star Journal photo

Five decades of kids, books and critters

By Eileen Persike
Editor

RHINELANDER – There aren’t many people who reach an employment milestone like the one celebrated at the Rhinelander District Library last week.

Current and former employees, library board members, family and friends gathered to surprise Cheryle Miller on her 50-year work anniversary. All 50 years have been spent in the library’s children’s department. Miller was former RDL director Kris Wendt’s first hire, back in 1974.

“I was 12 and she was six; it’s been our story for years and we stick to it,” Wendt quipped.

The event was held in the library meeting room, which was the children’s department in those days. Miller recalled the cramped quarters, which remained for a number of years.
“When I was pregnant with my son Mike, I could not shelve the books in the back corner because I couldn’t fit,” Miller said with a chuckle.

Stories were told and recollections shared. A recurring theme was how Miller’s calm demeanor and dedication persevered through the mid-80s building project, through automation and bar coding all of the materials, not to mention being caretaker to many of the critters – turtles, snakes, lizards – who have made the children’s department home. Simply put, her former boss said it was Miller who brought the library into the 21st century.

“So much of what RDL became in the last 50 years rests on Cheryle’s reliable hard work and willingness to cope with anything,” Wendt noted. But Miller’s contributions have not been limited to Rhinelander.

“I’m so thankful to Cheryle and the contributions she has made to our [Wisconsin Valley Library Service-wide] catalog and I really appreciate all the work that she’s done,” said Rachel Metzler, a WVLS employee.

“I admire how willing you are to try new formats – because Rhinelander is really, really inventive with what they circulate; you all have such an interesting collection and Cheryle gets all of that cataloged and gets it going to the patrons. Based on her work we’re able to help other libraries catalog the same type of things, like jigsaw puzzles, knitting needles and all kinds. That contribution is not unseen.”

As for Miller, she said the 50 years has been a “wonderful experience,” and she thanked those in attendance.

“I started as a page and sort of worked my way up,” Miller said. “There were different things happening all the time so it was never boring. I am really appreciative of all the people I met over the years, the people I got to work with – seeing the kids. I’m probably on grandkids of people who were storytimers. People will come back and say, ‘Mrs. Miller, do you remember me?’ And I do – they’re just a lot taller!”

There will be more kids, more books and more critters to come for Miller, who has no plans yet to retire.