“I have fallen into my careers. That’s what I like to say to people. And don’t worry too much. As Kurt Vonnegut once said, ‘Hang on to your hats, we may end up miles from here.’ If you don’t have a focus right now, don’t worry, but take advantage of the opportunities that come up. You never know when you just fall into place.”

This is the advice librarian Lauren Cassatt would give to anyone, adult or child. In 1995, Cassatt fell into the position of Aspen Librarian and didn’t look back. After twenty years of successfully helping AHS students find books that suited them, and keeping the library organized, up and running, Cassatt has made the decision to start the next chapter of her life, so to speak. In July, Cassatt will journey back to southern California where she grew up to retire.

“I’ve decided to get out of the snow and back into the sun. It’s going to be two very large changes – retiring and also moving after so many years here,” Cassatt said.

Being AHS’s librarian was not Cassatt’s first job in the valley. She was a business manager at the Aspen Times for twenty-one years before transitioning to the position of a librarian. Cassatt noted that she had not been qualified for either of the jobs that she has taken in the valley. In college she majored in sociology, and did not have a business degree, or any education that encompassed working as a librarian.

The position of AHS librarian will be difficult to fill, and so far there is no indication of who might take then position. At first, the job was offered to those in the school district, but after no applicants the job went to the public. Cassatt is in high hope that the position will be taken before she departs from AHS, so she will have an opportunity to train the new librarian, as the AHS librarian before her did.

“This position has been stable for 35 years,” Cassatt said. “The person who had it before me taught me. I was here part time at first, so the librarian before me helped me learn everything, and the job has remained virtually the same.”

In twenty years, there have been many wonderful, standout moments with kids, but one situation that has occurred many times stands out in particular to Cassatt. Her favorite times in the job were when kids would come to her and say, “hey I don’t really like reading, but can you help me find a book?” She would search and search with the student for the perfect book, and many times the student would return and say, “I loved that book. Okay, what do you have for me now?”

“It’s very generic, but giving a reluctant reader that perfect book that makes them love to read again is extremely rewarding,” Cassatt said.

Not many librarians have as much apparent dedication to their students as Cassatt has to her students at AHS. It is her hope, before she leaves, to add 565 books (either eBooks or paper) to our school library. Not only is 565 a great quantity, but Cassatt picked that specific number so that theoretically there would be one book for every AHS student.

“Lauren was always extremely helpful when I asked for help, and I could tell that she was passionate about her job. She would do the “Banned Book” week and would always have books for the holidays. She really seemed to care and do everything she could to get kids enthusiastic about reading,” junior and AHS Book Club member, Whitney Sherriff said.

“Whenever I needed help finding a book, or was looking for something to read, Lauren was always happy to help. She would actually spend time picking out a book that she thought I would like, and most times it would be something I would love. It’s a talent she has to find books that people would love,” sophomore Julia Fahy said.

Always a friendly face in the library, AHS will definitely be missing Cassatt. After twenty years, the library will be facing big changes. We will certainly all miss Cassatt, but after all at sometime or another, we all turn a page in our lives, and it is Cassatt’s time to turn hers.