Q&A with Linda Doler

How many librarians did you work with?

I worked with four different librarians. Every one of them was very, very different. I learned something from all of them and I had fun with all of them, but they were all so different. Lori [Lieberman[ has just been an amazing, amazing person to work with. She is so passionate about books and the students. It’s been great. I’ve ended on a very, very positive note, for sure. 

What are your biggest takeaways from working at Lincoln for the past ten years?

I am surprised at how much energy you guys had, and how passionate and involved you were. High school seems much harder than when I was in high school. I think that you guys are so much more globally aware and I think that’s, partially because it’s an IB school. I’ve always really loved that energy. I really enjoyed working with a staff that is very creative and very, very passionate about what they do. That really shows that you guys are really lucky to have the staff that you have, and the teachers that you’ve had.

What was your favorite part of working at Lincoln?

I would say the students and the staff because I really think people, interacting with people and connecting to people, I think that’s not only the best thing in the job, I think that’s one of the best things that you can do in your life. And I’ve always really loved people. I love the fact that every day is different, and that’s because I’m dealing with people all the time. Some days are challenges, but most days have been full of fun and learning. I have learned something from a student probably every day that I have worked. Once in a while, I probably learned something I didn’t want to know or didn’t need to know, but most of the time I have really enjoyed that aspect of it.

What will you miss the most about Lincoln?

I will say the people, the friendships I’ve made, watching you guys evolve. It’s kind of amazing. Seeing you guys start as freshmen and then seniors, it’s a big evolution. That’s always been really gratifying to see. The energy for me has kind of been like a dose of the fountain of youth. I say that because I just feel all of the things that you guys are going through and I hear all kinds of interesting things that I wouldn’t normally hear. I think retirement in that way is going to be a little bit boring. When I talk to all my friends and my peers, I often know things they don’t know anything about. I think that comes from just being around you guys. So I will miss that a lot. And just the interaction with you and the staff, and I will miss the TAs. I get to know them better than I get to know anybody else, because I see you guys every other day. That’s always really special and really fun, and sometimes challenging. I’m going to miss being surrounded by all those books. It’s just been so wonderful for me, a reader, to just be able to check almost anything out and it’s pretty much at my fingertips. And if we don’t have it, the librarians have always been pretty willing to get books that I’ve suggested or that I really want to read. So I’m going to miss having my own personal library. 

Do you have any plans for retirement?

I have three very small grandchildren. Either we all have to get vaccinated, or once things really open up, I will get to spend more time with my grandchildren. I miss them a lot. So that’s one thing. I hope to find some volunteer projects that I can immerse myself in. I’m hoping to find something with some energy floating around. I don’t think I’m going to ever be able to get to find something that’s like a high school. [It’s] unique in that way. I started working in libraries in a middle school. When I got offered a job at Lincoln, I thought “Oh, I don’t know if I’m going to like high school students.” But, I love you guys. It’s been great. I’m going to be able to keep busy. I have hobbies and I like sleeping in. We’ve been sort of sheltering in place, I’ve discovered, I like taking my time in the morning. I plan on pursuing volunteer work, seeing my grandchildren, doing some traveling with my husband. And I love to cook. That’s another thing I’ve enjoyed doing while we’ve been sheltering in place. I might have gained a few pounds, but I’ve discovered some great recipes. So I think I’ll probably be doing more cooking. And of course, reading. I’ve always loved reading, always. So I’m going to be plenty busy, I’m not worried about that at all. 

Is there anything else you would like to add or address or are there any messages you’d like to share with the students or to Lincoln?

I think mostly just to discover who you are and hopefully, you’ll like that person that you’ve become. That you can be your authentic self and have fun doing that too. I mean, it’s a process for sure and I think being a teenager is hard in many ways. I did want to do a shoutout to the TAs. It’s been great, working with all of them and getting to know them a little bit better than any of the other students because I see them often. I think one thing I really liked about the students at Lincoln is that a lot of them were just very genuine and weren’t afraid to be on their own path, whatever that path was. I think that’s a really, really good thing to learn. I think when I was in high school, everybody wanted to be the same and do the same. I find it very refreshing that a lot of you just march to your own drummer and I applaud that and I admire that and I hope that you all continue to do that.