Mary “Squeak” Barnett to retire

Circulation assistant Mary "Squeak" Barnett is ready to retire after 23 years of working at Hillsdale College's Mossey Library.

Barnett, wearing her signature white sweater, has been the iconic employee at Mossey Library, but her gleeful morning hellos and sage advice to student workers will be leaving with the class of 2011.
Barnett was hired as circulation assistant in 1987. She said if she stayed until August she would have 24 years under her belt.

But Barnett said those 24 years aren't limited to the regular school year. She, and most of the library staff, works during the summer too. Summers that Barnett could've been spending at her house on Lake Baw Beese or in Florida with family members.

"I'd like to travel when I want to," she said. "Instead of trying to work it around a holiday type thing, maybe be gone longer."

Officially, Barnett retires on July 8, but vacation days accumulated over the years will allow her to leave in early May. Her last day of work will be the day of graduation.

"I've told students this year that I'm going to graduate with them," Barnett said.

Barnett grew up locally, attending a two room schoolhouse in Mosherville, Mich., before graduating from Jonesville High School. She even maintained a local newsstand for a short time.

Library director Daniel Knoch said he remembers when he and Public Service Librarian Linda Moore interviewed Barnett in the library's von Mises room. Though she didn't have a college degree, she had worked in a library environment several years earlier at Jonesville High School, which helped sway the two to hire her.

"She's been a great employee," Knoch said. "One of the primary people in the library who contribute to the library's success."

Barnett said she'll miss the students the most, calling them her kids. Though she says she understands they're full-grown adults, that doesn't stop her from giving them advice.

Freshman Catherine Orban, who works the library's circulation desk, said Squeak often gives helpful life lessons to students, ranging from remedies for sicknesses to Valentine's Day dinners.

"I've witnessed her talking to students about how to get out of debt," junior Emily Zick said.

Barnett said, not too long after 9/11, the library once came under attack from a couple of pranksters filling the library with smoke from smoke bombs. The students on staff didn't know what to do at the time, and instead of calling security or 911, they called Squeak.

Barnett said she believes the library is a place of connections — as witnessed by the e-mails she receives from former students.

Typically, she works graduation and sometimes can hardly go out and watch the procession of students — some of whom she's worked four years with and who will never come by again. This time, she'll join them.

"I'm going to have a hard time walking out of here during graduation," Barnett said. "I bet there'll be a tear in my eye."