Happy endings: Librarian helps patrons keep turning pages

Reading always has been a part of Patterson resident Kathleen Louviere’s life, but recently, she found herself in a predicament.
With a statewide stay-at-home order issued and the St. Mary Parish Library’s Patterson branch shut down, she could not visit the library to check out books.
But that’s where Patterson Branch Manager Lisa Wilson comes in.
Wilson, who has worked for the library system for 30 years, said she thought of those avid readers and frequent visitors when the stay-at-home mandate was put in place.
“We didn’t know how long we would be closed, and they would be lost without a book,” Wilson said.
She said she telephoned some of the faithful patrons she knew personally, including Louviere, and asked if they would like her to check them out books.
Louviere, who said she has many books at home, figured she would have to reread those for entertainment.
She left a message for Wilson at the library, just in case she could help her, though.
Wilson came through and gathered Louviere seven mystery books and delivered them to Louviere’s house.Wilson said Louviere was one of approximately six patrons that she delivered books to.
“Mysteries, I love. In fact, I’m reading one right now ‘Mother Knows Best,’” Louviere said Monday of the book that she nearly was done with. She described it as a “psychological thriller.”
While some patrons could read eBooks during their time at home, Wilson said others prefer the real thing.
“It’s part of their life, and so it was awesome to be able to kind of give them a piece of something that was taken away,” she said.
During the stay-at-home mandate, Louviere, a retired secretary from Patterson Junior High School, estimates she has read at least a dozen books. The first few were from her collection and seven more were from a batch brought by Wilson. “Mother Knows Best’ is the second book Louviere is reading from a second batch that Wilson delivered.
“It’s so special,” Louviere said of the act of kindness.
When she is allowed to return to her everyday life, Louviere plans to thank Wilson in person.