Police jurors bid retiring library director farewell
Published 7:00 pm Thursday, December 20, 2018
JENNINGS — Jeff Davis Parish Library Director Linda LeBert Corbello bid farewell Wednesday to the Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury, just moments before her retirement officially began.
"The experience of serving as your director of libraries has been an incredible time," Corbello told police jurors. "Coming back to my home parish was delightful. Leaving is painful in the sense of all the wonderful relationships I must leave."
Corbello, who has worked as a library director, principal and assistant professor for 46 years, said she will leave the position she has held for the past 15 years to write a grief book with her husband, Greg, and travel.
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Corbello said she was fortunate to have worked with the Police Jury.
"The last projects we began — the basement and the outside of the Jennings headquarters — are in process but have hit a few setbacks with redesign and weather conditions," she said. "However, know that monies are properly budgeted to complete the projects in January."
She ensured police jurors that proper procedures are being followed throughout the project and that the library system will continue to grow under the leadership of new director Clare Coleman, who she has trained with for the past four months.
"Thank you for believing in me, smiling and supporting me through all my dreams for you library system and for becoming my life-long friends," she said. "I am a better person for having worked with and for all of you."
Police Juror Brad Eastman responded saying, "It turned us around and made us a better person, too, because of you, because you put a lot into it."
"We want to thank you for all you have done for the library," Police Juror President Donald Woods said.
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Police Juror John Marceaux, who serves on the library board, lauded Corbello for her service noting that the library board of control has been a well managed board and has managed to accomplish much under her leadership including two libraries and remodeling of others.
Major highlights of Corbello’s time at the Jeff Davis Parish Library include construction of new libraries in Elton and Lake Arthur and renovations of the Welsh branch and Jennings headquarters. A new, larger bookmobile was also added to serve the rural areas and participation in children’s programs have increased.
