October 24, 1974 (Letter from Bev)

How do you like your job and what's it like in Montana?  Grayce told me that you were working in a prison library.  Speaking of Grayce -- Diane and I went to her wedding.  Bill Snyder was there, but had to leave.  He had an accident and both of his headlights were knocked out.  He leaves for the army in January.  I don't know if Bill Louden got a job yet.  Have you heard from anyone at GSLIS?  Diane has a job in the library at the Customs House in Philadelphia.  I don't think she has started working yet.

Since September 16th I've been working as the medical librarian at Delaware State Hospital (it's a mental hospital).  The library is small  but quite adequate for the staff.  I do everything in the library, including shelving books!  I'm kept busy everyday and often I don't get things done that I had planned to do.  Some of the doctors expect to be waited on when they come into the library.  I'm not too pleased with having to look call numbers up and then get the books off the shelves while some doctor is following me around.  But how do I put an end to something like that which is expected of me?

This past weekend I went to a Medical Library Association conference at Rutgers.  Janet Seltman, who is working at Medical College of Pa., w there.  I met many people, including the librarian from Eastern Psychiatric Institute.  She's nothing like the late J. O'Mara.

I'm living in the town of New Castle, which is small (pop about 4,000) and safe (I hope).  My apartment is in an old house which was built around 1800.  I have a bedroom, bath, small kitchen, and combination dining-living room area.  The apartment was unfurnished and still isn't exactly what one would call furnished.  So far, I only have the essentials -- bed, dresser, table, and two chairs.  Hopefully, by spring I'll have a sofa.

Are you employed by the Federal government or the state of Montana?  I'm working for the State of Delaware, which gives me a lot of Monday holidays.  The benefits are good, probably better than working for a public library.

I wish you the best on your birthday and I hope that you are happy with your job.  Keep in touch.