MARION — After 15 years of sing-songs, finger puppet shows and storytimes, the Elizabeth Taber Library’s children’s librarian, Rosemary Grey, has retired.

At the library, Grey worked on programming for kids of all ages, as well as book curation for both little kids and young adults.

“It really was my dream job,” she said.

Grey said that in her time with the library, she was able to watch programming grow, and see the library become a “home away from home” for residents and their families.

“It’s really evolved into a center for the community,” she said.

Grey remembered meeting one young mother and her three-month-old child during her early years at the library. Now, the librarian said, that three-month-old has grown into a teenager with a younger brother.

Grey said “it’s been such an honor” to watch children and the library grow over the years.

In her time at the library, Grey worked with Tri-Town Against Racism to represent all walks of life and help bring more diverse books to readers.

She said the library’s work with the anti-racist organization was an important part of “confirming that our collection reflects the Black Lives Matter movement and all different people.”

The librarian said the summer program has been “the most robust” for the library because of Marion’s heightened population in the summer.

Every hour kids read over the summer, a dollar is donated to Heifer International, a non-profit working to eliminate global poverty and hunger.

Grey said she’ll miss working with the children and “empowering them with reading,” but she’s confident she’s leaving the library in good hands.

“I am so grateful and really so blessed to have had this opportunity the last 15 years,” she said. “The next children’s librarian truly is so lucky to get this dream job.”

Grey said she’ll be fully retiring and staying in Marion. But, if the library needs her, she said the door is always open.

“I’ll be there if they need me,” the librarian said.

But, for Grey, it’s time to hang up the finger puppets.

“I felt like I was ready for a new chapter in my life.”