Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Our angel has left us
Special Features
May 2, 2008

Our angel has left us

02.MAY.08

By Mrs Joan L. O’Garro, Director, Department of Libraries, Archives and Documentation Services, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Let me extend to Rosanne and family our love and deepest sympathy from my own family, the staff of the Department of Libraries, Archives and Documentation Services and other colleagues in the library profession locally, regionally and internationally. They are too numerous to mention.{{more}}

It was a terrible shock to all who knew Mrs Small to learn of her death. It would have been so much easier if we were just told the news that Mrs Small had passed away or Mrs Small had gone to meet her maker. An angel has left us.

I began working at the Kingstown Public Library on August 1, 1978. Mrs Small was Chief Librarian then. Mrs Small knew the entire library upside down. She instilled in her staff that the library profession is just as important as any other profession, therefore we must act professionally.

Mrs Small was my mentor. She helped to nurture me. Today, I am presently the Director, Department of Libraries, Archives and Documentation Services. I am proud that Mrs Small was my teacher. I have learnt well. She was a good role model. The Library is the only place I have worked since 1978.

Mrs Small was a very spiritual person. She believed very strongly in prayers. Mrs Small also believed very strongly in morality; that is so lacking in our society today.

She was jovial, easy-going and soft-spoken. She was truly a people-person. She always had a smile for everyone. It was “Good Morning” or “Good Evening” as the case might be. She was always enquiring about the well being of others.

She was very dedicated. She was a disciplinarian, an educator, a supporter, a rehabilitator and, of course, a no nonsense person.

She had a wealth of knowledge especially when it came to knowing your country. She was a real local tourist. Don’t talk about knowing families. She was a professor in this area. Ask her about people, places and things, the information was there. She had a remarkable memory.

Mrs Small truly loved and gave her all to the development of Library Services in St Vincent and the Grenadines. She was a faithful stalwart in her profession.

From 1959 – 1990, she worked within the Library Service. In 1990 she retired as Director. But this was not the end of her involvement in the library. She was back on the library team this time as the Archivist. Her goal was to ensure that our heritage was preserved. The National Archives was started on December 5, 1990, the same year she retired as Director. Mrs Small was determined to ensure that the Archives came alive and grew. She retired as Archivist in 1996.

However, she still gave of her knowledge. She was kept up-to-date on what was happening in library development.

Last year, I got her to visit the New National Archives Building.

Mrs Small was very proud of the continued development of the Library Service in the field of technology in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

  • The Kingstown Public Library is fully automated
  • Internet for research purposes
  • Readers are using photo IDs at the library to charge and discharge books.
  • The National Archives is presently being re-located to its new building – a place to call home.
  • Proper facilities for some of our Branch Libraries have been accomplished. They are now housed in Learning Resource Centres (LRC) throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Kingstown Public Library had out-grown the Andrew Carnegie building since 1989. The Library is now housed in its present temporary location since 1990. The year 2009 will mark 100 years for the Andrew Carnegie building. The new Library building is expected to be completed in 2009. Mrs Small would have been very proud to know that the library is finally getting a permanent home.

My last conversation with Mrs Small was on April 16, 2008. She asked me to get some information for her. She was going to write about the Library. She requested that I leave the information at the Methodist Church Office. We had a very long conversation. I promised her that I would come and get her to visit the National Archives as soon as we are settled into the new building. But this is not to be. Do you know that the information is still at the Methodist Church Office? It will never be collected by her.

I never thought that it was the last time I would be speaking to Mrs Small. Our angel has left us. She was committed to her work. She has made an outstanding contribution to library development and also the establishment of the National Archives. As Director, Department of Libraries, Archives and Documentation Services, I will send a recommendation to the relevant authority that the entire Library Complex, when completed, be named in memory of Mrs Lorna Small.

THE LORNA SMALL MEMORIAL LIBRARY COMPLEX.

The work that Mrs Small accomplished in Library development in St Vincent and the Grenadines since 1959 is immeasurable. She has left a legacy that we will continue to develop at the Department of Libraries, Archives and Documentation Services.

Mrs Small is one of our unsung heroes.

Goodbye, Goodbye, my Colleague and Friend
We will always remember your beautiful smile.
Rosanne, We all share your loss
We will all miss her.
Farewell, Mrs Small

May you rest in peace.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Front Page
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    A fire that destroyed a multi-family complex in Richland Park on Monday has left at least 12 people homeless, including a 23-year-old mother of a six-...
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Front Page
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has responded to reports by the United States administration that its military had carried out the bombing of a boa...
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Front Page
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Police investigators on Union Island are said to be looking into the “disappearance” of building materials that were sent to the Southern Grenadine Is...
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Front Page
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    by Grace Francis After sharing a small space for over a year, children and teachers at the Fitz Hughes Early Childhood Centre went into brand new prem...
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Front Page
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Several secondary schools and special needs institutions across St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have received $5,000 donations towards meals for s...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    News
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    News
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is leading a delegation to the East African country of Ethiopia; the delegation left the state on Wednesday, Septe...
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    News
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The modern port in Kingstown is expected to be handed over to the government just before this country celebrates its 46th anniversary of political ind...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok