story4088.xml

story4088.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

The day way going along as any other-books checking in and out, patrons asking questions etc- then people trickled in with shock on their faces telling us that a plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Everyone wondered if it was an accident, until a short while later others came in saying that the other tower had been hit and possibly the Pentagon and another site in DC.
As librarians, we are usually the ones to give others information, so this situation was unusual because we were without contact with the outside world as far as radio and television as concerned. All we knew was what we heard from patrons coming in.
Within a few hours, panic-stricken people (many of whom had never been to our library) were coming to the library to try contacting relatives in NY & DC by e-mail on our public access computers; many were on their phones at the same time. Usually this is considered rude in a library, but for this tragically special day no one complained. Most people were very understanding and sympathetic to those trying to find family members. This was heartwarming as many times people are very firm about not letting other cut into their computer time.
One of our own librarians had 2 children in NYC and a daughter in her 9th month of pregnandy in DC who worked across the street from the Pentagon, so we were all aware of how this tragedy could hit home from afar.
We did everything we could to help people throughout that day and did not close early as did many other businesses. Many who came into the library were shocked that we had not shut down and gone home, but we felt that we needed to provide a place for people to use the internet and that some people may not have had anyone else to talk to that day. It was also said that if we closed, we would be giving in to the terrorists who wanted to see this country crippled by their acts.
Later, when I got home from work around 6pm and turned on the news all I saw for hours were "talking heads."
Peter Jennings, the ABC anchorman, kept saying that people had been seeing pictures of the the event all day. The media people apparently thought that the whole country had shut down as well. It wasn't until nearly 9 pm that I finally saw what had happened. It was horrifying. I became as shocked as the people who had been coming to the library all day. I sat and cried as I watched the films that people had taken as the events unfolded.
The next day at work, my co-workers were discussing what they did when they got home. All had family to hold and share feelings with, which made me all the more aware of how difficult it is to be alone in a crazy world. I was unable to reach my mother or adult daughter by phone and my cats were undaunted and unconcerned with the world or my feelings- there was kibble in the bowls so they were fine.
One woman at work said how she sat in her husband's lap and cried all evening as they watched the news. I left her office and had to take a short break, as I was struck by loneliness along with the fear everyone else was feeling. Even after all these years of women's liberation being thrust upon us, strong arms to hold you in the midst of tragedy can still be a great comfort.