Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD district librarian Jo Haney has retired after 33 years of service to the schools. Haney started teaching first grade in Camden, Ohio a week after graduating college in 1969 and moved to teach second grade in West Bath School and kindergarten at Harpswell Island School. In 1983, Haney and her family moved to Boothbay and two years later she began teaching third grade at Boothbay Region Elementary School.

A couple years later, then-librarian Mark Tess, now principal, became the assistant principal and the school needed a librarian.

“I jokingly said to him one day, ‘I think I want your job,’” said Haney. “He came back to me the next day and said, ‘You'd be good.’ So, I went to Eileen (King), who was the principal at the time and said, 'I think I would like to move to the library' and, she let me.”

Haney remained librarian until the schools consolidated some jobs and she took the larger job of district librarian in the Boothbay Region High School library. She remained there until retiring this past spring.

In all, Haney taught kindergarten through third grade, taught the migrant program in School Administrative District (SAD) 75, and served as a librarian in many capacities for kindergarten through grade 12.

“In fact, the class that just graduated, I’m the only librarian at school that they have ever known … It’s kind of a neat thing to think about.”

Haney said some of her fondest memories from her career are of teaching third grade at BRES.

“In my heart, I think that’s my favorite time of teaching. We had great experiences, some great field trips, and I think you’ll encounter some students around town who are now adults and have their own kids who still remember their third grade year … I hope that when former students and parents think about any time with me, that they think of it fondly.”

It is sad to leave, but Haney feels the libraries are in good hands with her replacement, Kerrin Erhard, who is working on her master’s degree in library science and has Haney as a mentor as she finishes her practicum.

“Any student who is interested in learning, the people are here who can teach them well and prepare them for the next part of their lives. It’s been fun working with all the people from kindergarten up through the high school staff.”

Haney feels very fortunate to have had the school and wider community she has had. She and husband Bill have always felt they should give back. That is why Bill, a former trustee, continues to help when he can and why Haney will still be operating the schools’ websites for the next year.

Haney said it is difficult to tell what retirement will hold, and it is hard to grasp the emotions of having moved on, because it still feels to her like any old summer vacation.

“We plan to do some traveling, but right now we’re just kind of letting the dust settle,” said Haney.

She and her husband swim daily at the Y, are avid snorkelers and look forward to spending some time in the Caribbean, St. John’s Island and visiting the Galapagos Islands again.

The Haneys will also cheer on their three grandchildren at sporting events and Haney said she will still be on the board at Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library. The Haneys will also keep supporting Boothbay Region Land Trust and the Y.

“And just seeing what life brings. It’ll be interesting. My life has totally revolved around the school year calendar, September to June, and it’ll be different not having to think about that as the way I have to schedule my life, so, it will be interesting … It was a good run.”