At the end of December, I’ll have worked for the Adams County Library System for just over eight years. And then I’ll be done. On January fourth, the first workday of 2027, as all of my coworkers head into work to start the new year, I’ll find something else to do. I’ll be retired. It’s a surreal feeling to realize that I’m retirement age. I still feel like a kid inside. I like all the same books, movies, music and food that I liked in my twenties, but my hair is gray and falling out, and every time I bump my forearm, an ugly red splotch spreads under my skin.
It’s been a good run here at the library system. During this period, we’ve seen increasing stability and sustained growth—growth in staffing, growth in programs and, happily, growth in funding. It might seem like I’m trying to escape on a high note, but I’m certain our trajectory is locked in place for the foreseeable future. Things are going great at ACLS.
My wife and I sometimes toy with the idea of relocating when she’s ready to retire (which is NOT at the end of this year). Every time we visit a new town or city on vacation, the freshness of everything makes us immediately want to move there. We explore the housing market, the restaurant choices, the fitness options, and the library. And you know what? The library is inevitably the biggest letdown. The other libraries we check out rarely compare favorably with the Adams County Library System. For a county of 108,000 residents, we have something quite special.
If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, take a minute to click on our Events calendar https://www.adamslibrary.org/events/upcoming. In general, there are multiple events going on for all age groups every day. For adults, teens, and tweens, these include fun activities such as gaming and board game sessions, book clubs, crafting, presentations and lectures, and writing groups. And for our youngest patrons, we have magicians, animal programs, musical sessions, and storytimes as often as five to seven days per week. When I look at the program calendars in the (larger) towns and cities I visit, I usually see only a handful of activities each week. A far, far cry from the 2400 programs ACLS offered last year.
If my wife and I do relocate, it’s important for us to move to an area where the library is more than a repository of books and magazines. We want to find a community. A building, an organization where people come together to enjoy shared interests with likeminded people. We know it’s a big ask, but it’s not likely to be something we’re willing to bend on. We know what we have in Adams County, and we love it.
Next year, after my retirement, you will be able to find me in one of our six branches attending a writer’s workshop. Or in the Gettysburg Eisenhower room playing Mahjong. Or assembling a jigsaw puzzle with my new friends at the Harbaugh-Thomas Library. Or debating the merits of a new release with the Sci-Fi book club. I’ll be taking advantage of one of the dozens of programs the library offers every week.
Jeff Cann id Finance Director (Departing) of the Adams County Library System.
ACLS is #15 in the 2026 Giving Spree! We’re grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Adams County Community Foundation’s Giving Spree onNovember 5. We look forward to celebrating generosity with our community at theWyndham Hotel in Gettysburg from 3–7 PM!
