Cape Girardeau Public Library administrative assistant Linda Bailiff has worked alongside library director Betty Martin for 13 years and said Martin�s retirement hits her hard.

Bailiff said on some level, it feels like a sad breakup with Martin leaving a huge void at the library.

A special retirement open house Friday celebrated Martin�s Cape Girardeau tenure, which will end officially July 27.

�It makes me sad. But, I�m glad for her. We�ve spent so much time together,� Bailiff said. �We actually built this building together nine years ago.�

Martin worked 24 of her 41 years in library service in Cape Girardeau.

�What I�ve always loved about my job is the variety that it offers,� Martin said. �We�ve always been financially conservative, so that when there is an opportunity to offer some new service to the community, we have funds available.�

Martin said she has enjoyed learning something new every day, and she will miss her co-workers.

When Martin first arrived at Cape Girardeau Public Library, she took on the role of adult services coordinator.

�Two years in is when we purchased our first three internet computers for the public to use,� Martin said. �It was my responsibility to figure out how it worked and then share that with the staff and our library patrons. That was definitely a milestone.�

When asked some of her highlights over the past 21 years as director, she immediately responded, �This building, of course, is at the top of the list.�

Martin said in addition to catching up on reading and spending more time with family, she plans on volunteering within the community.

One of the things she misses is working with children, she said. Martin has done a little bit of that over the years, but is hoping to do more.

Martin�s daughter, Rachel Murad, a teacher now, said she learned leadership skills from watching Martin.

�And definitely the love of reading,� Murad said. �I read to my kids all the time because she read to me all the time.�

Murad said when she lived in Cape Girardeau, she remembers walking to the Cape Girardeau Public Library after school and spending a lot of time reading.

�I�m just really happy for her because she�s worked so hard,� Murad said. �I know it was a hard decision for her, because this is her baby, and I�m sure it�s hard for her to let go of that.�

Martin�s husband, Mark, who is on staff at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, said he and Betty Martin originally met in St. Louis while he was working at a church and she was working as the children�s regional director at St. Louis Public Library.

Betty and Mark met through a church group he led, Mark Martin said. Shortly after he moved to Southeast Missouri in 1993, he realized he couldn�t live without her, he said.

�We ended up getting married in 1994,� Mark Martin said. �She moved down here to join me and we lived out at Egypt Mills. She got a job as adult services coordinator, then in 1997, they asked her to be director.�

He said their lives have consisted mostly of working, with little time for themselves.

�She�s had her activities and businesses and I�ve had mine,� he said. �I think we�re looking forward to more time together and to have the ability to cut out and take 24 hours and go to St. Louis. It�s an opportunity to start doing some things together again.�

Mark Martin said for now, the couple plans on staying within Southeast Missouri. He has several more years before thinking about retirement, he said.

He said Martin has been �involved in so much in this community, and this building was her dream.�

Mark Martin said Betty Martin spent years developing plans for the current Cape Girardeau Public Library. She had the opportunity to visit multiple libraries in her travels and he said she �knew what she liked and what she didn�t like.�

�This building is her legacy,� Mark Martin said. �For me, it�s good that the community and people are recognizing that one of the key people of the community is leaving.�

Martin�s retirement is also a big change for Bailiff, she said, mainly because she and Martin have worked so closely together.

�It won�t be the same; it�ll be different,� Bailiff said, holding back tears. �But, it�s what you have to do.�

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632