with us as she embarks on the next phase of her
career, helping to develop the Swedenborgiana
and New Church collections.
Carroll Odhner’s Personal Reflections:
When I reflect on my nearly 50 years doing
what I love – connecting people with libraries
and teaching the life-long skills of information
seeking, evaluation and critical thinking – I
realize how fortunate I was to find my “calling”
so early in life. Even as a child I loved reading
and volunteered in local libraries. The smell of
old books on the shelves was like the smell of
fresh baked bread enticing me to taste what was inside. Sharing this love of
books and learning with others and especially to see students light up as they
grasped the fundamentals of research was extremely rewarding.
Over the years I’ve worked in several universities and secondary schools
before coming to the Academy Library in 1976. It’s been a blessing to be able
to work in what I consider the most important library in the world – with its
precious collection representing the Lord’s new dispensation. In my retirement
I will continue on a part-time basis to focus my attention on the development
of our unique New Church collections.
In 1986, when I became the Director of the Swedenborg Library, I wrote
an article for the Academy Journal (1985-1986). I would like to end my
thoughts with a quote from this article:
“Our mind, like a library building, houses a collection – a plane of memory
knowle dges from which we can ‘recollect’ or retrieve that information that can
be of use. It is the process of retrieval for use that builds our rational memory
– the same process that transforms the static library collection into a vital
educational tool. Thus we are building the plane within ourselves from which
truths and goods can be brought forth through use to form, page-by-page, our
Book of Life – our contribution to the Universal Library.”
Contact: [email protected]
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