One of my fondest and oldest memories of my father (Ernest Mardon) as a child is going to the library with him. We would go often. He would go almost daily. Looking back now, I can see how the public library changed and evolved in its purpose for him as he changed and evolved as a person. For over 48 years it was a second home. The early years, being an English literature professor, he would go to mark his students' essays. He loved those large tables where he could spread out his papers and organize his thoughts. He would spend countless hours researching for his various published writings, reading the newspapers and catching up with a friend. Sometimes life can be tough. For him the library was just a nice place to go. Somewhere quiet, somewhere pleasant, where he could turn off the stresses of his life and become engrossed in a book. I went with him on his last visit to the library. He could hardly make it up the stairs, his legs shook but he made it. It was important for him. At 87, he sat at those large tables for the last time. He couldn’t quite see straight, his eyes were weak. His mind couldn’t quite follow the headlines in the newspapers, he was growing tired with dementia. The table looked so much larger than usual, his stature had shrunk. He was now a frail man. The best memory of all visits to the library was that last one. He was so happy to chat (with his British accent) to the few “young men” at the large table with us. They made each other smile. Then the librarian came by to our table to whisper to my dad, “Dr. Mardon, your wife is on the phone.” You see my mom always knew where to find him and the librarians always cared enough to pass on the message. The library is community. It is relevant. It is long-lasting. It can and does last a lifetime. In St .Albert where I now live, on Oct. 16th I am voting yes for another library. I think this is what my Dad (Dec. 21, 1928 to March 6, 2016) would want … all the while enjoying the large table where he could spread out his papers and organize his thoughts. Teresa Mardon, St. Albert
