Janette Bruce celebrates 35 years as a Westmount librarian

Janette Bruce, the audio-visual clerk, was celebrating her 35th anniversary working at the library. One of Westmount’s longest-serving white-collar workers, Bruce believed she was the only one who had realized the significance of the date — until she went to join her co-workers for what she had been led to believe was a pot-luck lunch. It turned out to be a surprise party to celebrate her achievement.

“This was a total surprise,” said Bruce, who described herself as “stunned and shocked.”

Bruce began working at the library in the circulation department, trained by the then-head of circulation, Catherine Spielman. Seventeen years ago, Bruce learned that the library was establishing its audiovisual collection in a section of its own. “At that point, I think we only had audio and video cassettes,” recalled Bruce. “They were being kept behind the desk, and it was growing too fast.”

Bruce, wanting a change, immediately applied for the new position of audiovisual clerk. “I told everyone else if they applied, they were dead,” she said, laughing. She got the job.

Many changes over the years

Since then, Bruce has seen a lot of changes: “CDs, CD books, playaways, DVDs,” she recalled, citing some of the new media that have entered the department’s collection. At the same time, videotapes circulate “less and less ... some members don’t even have a VCR anymore. But the VHS tapes do still go out.”

According to library figures, 15,000 videos had been checked out in 2007 through to the end of September, compared to 17,500 DVDs. “No wonder I’m so tired,” joked Bruce.

Bruce is responsible for “the checking out, the checking in” of audiovisual material, a task more strenuous in the audiovisual department than elsewhere in the library: “There’s a lot of man-handling, getting stuff out of cases ... They did a time study in the old days, and they found out it takes twice as long to check out AV material because there’s so much opening cases, security concerns, and so forth.” Bruce is also responsible for the processing of the various items. “Processing is making it ready to circulate to the public,” she explained. These tasks include labelling each item and entering it into the library’s computer system. “I counted it up,” she said, “and there are over 10 separate steps before it goes out.”

Asked what were the greatest challenges over the years, Bruce said: “When we merged, and we got about 10,000 new people, that was a huge change.” She also cited the renovation work performed on the library building: “AV and children’s and administration went to Victoria Hall, while the rest went to Greene Avenue. That was difficult, the year and a half we were apart. It was awkward for me, not only for the isolation, but also for the staff ... we’re a very close-knit group.”

Ann Moffat, library director, testified to Bruce’s value. “She really is a perfect employee ... she really believes in the library and the services. She’s always interested; I think that’s the secret to enjoying library life.”

At the party on Nov. 9, Bruce’s co-workers presented her with a book they’d made, filled with pictures of her at work — along with a wand, a tiara, and a special pink t-shirt. “I told them, ‘the reason I’ve stayed here so long is you,’” said Bruce. “We get along really well for a group of 20 or so.”

How happy has Bruce been with her work? “If I didn’t actually know how long I’d been working here,” she reflected, “I’d guess about 20 years.”

Time really does fly when you’re having fun.