SWAMPSCOTT — When the town was first hiring for a position at the library, Alyce Deveau said she was asked if she would stay on for a full year. When she agreed, the town immediately hired her.
Now, 38 years later, Deveau is celebrating her retirement.
“I’ve enjoyed every second of it here,” Deveau said. “I’m lucky to say that there was never a morning where I wasn’t happy to go to work.”
Deveau, Swampscott’s dedicated librarian and library director, has retired after 38 years of creating book clubs, programs, and helping everyone in town feel at home in the Public Library.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Ellen Winkler, the secretary for the library’s Board of Trustees. “We’re going to miss her so much, but we can’t help but to celebrate her today.”
Approximately 100 people gathered on the Town Green on Friday to eat Chinese food appetizers — Deveau’s favorite — and chocolate cake to celebrate the director. People stopped by to congratulate the librarian on her years of service and to thank her for making the library feel so welcoming.
“They aren’t just my patrons anymore,” Deveau said. “Over the years, they’ve become my friends.”
In addition to Deveau’s friends and family, state Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) and Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald attended the informal ceremony; both spoke about how much Deveau will be missed.
“You’re truly an inspiration,” Crighton told Deveau.
Crighton presented the librarian with a citation from the Senate, commemorating the years of work she has done for the town. Although state Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead) couldn’t make the celebration, she also had prepared a citation, which recognized Deveau’s hard work.
“Our libraries are engines for culture and community,” Fitzgerald said. “Alyce always welcomes people to be a part of Swampscott’s.”
Deveau started six different book clubs, the Lou Gallo History Buffs, and programming over digital sites to keep people connected during COVID-19. In 2019, she said that she noticed the violence and the anger that was felt by many, with organizations like Black Lives Matter coming to the forefront of national conversation, and she wanted to do something about it.
“You dedicated a year to offer programming with an anti-racist theme,” said Assistant Library Director Susan Conner.
Deveau created events for this theme, including a reading of Frederick Douglass’ speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” and worked with Swampscott Unites, Respects, Embraces (SURE) to create a book collection within the library called “One Topic One Town: A Journey Towards Dismantling Racism.”
These programs and collections won her the Essex Media Group’s “Person of the Year” award in 2020.
Even though she is retiring, Deveau plans to remain active in the community. She has agreed to take on the role of part-time director for the Seaglass Village, where she will create community gatherings and help connect the program’s elders with volunteers.
“You will always be an indelible part of Swampscott’s history,” Fitzgerald said.
