A valued team member of Mississippi State University’s Mitchell Memorial Library for five years, took the first step to a whole new adventure on Jan. 31: a life of retirement.
With this new step, Marty Coleman leaves her position as an assistant professor for the acquisitions library to pursue a new lifestyle. She looks forward to many opportunities she will soon reach.
Coleman supervised ordering monographs, and helped to buy required books from around the world, along with outreach services with the Center for America’s Veterans at MSU.
“That’s an important part of what I do, as a veteran myself,” Coleman said. “I’ve been working in libraries now for over 20 years. It’s just time to do something a little different.”
Of course, not everything she looks forward to in retirement is going to be new. Coleman has spent much time traveling with her husband.
“My husband and I love to travel,” Coleman stated. “We went to China in the fall of last year.”
For future trips, Coleman is considering Turkey or Greece. While she and her husband do not know where their next destination will be, they are looking forward to it.
Coleman also looks forward to moving to Ohio so she can be “closer to (her) parents, who are in their 80’s.” Her plans are to stay there and spend time with them for as long as she can.
Though she has big plans for her retirement plans, she is also going to miss things about working at MSU libraries. Coleman is looking forward to moving and traveling, but knows the people she works with and the friends she has made are valuable memories she will have to leave behind.
The people she has built relationships with while working at the library are going to miss several things about working with her as well. From Coleman’s intelligence, to her friendly attitude, the people who work with her know they are losing someone important.
Mary Ann Jones, an associate professor and coordinator of electronic resources and acquisitions, said something she appreciates about Coleman and her skill set is “her complete knowledge of library acquisitions and processes.” She describes Coleman’s knowledge as invaluable.
The library is not just losing a knowledgeable worker, but also a kind one with a helping hand. Ilda Cardenas, acquisitions and electronic resources librarian, expressed this as she told of several times when Coleman was eager to help her.
“When I moved to Mississippi from California, I needed someone to help me with my bed slats, and she volunteered her husband to help me,” Cardenas said.
Cardenas explained how great of a friend Coleman is, as well as how generous she has always been.
Not only has she been a constant helping hand both during and after work, but Coleman has also proven herself to be generally enjoyable.
“She’s fun to be around,” Cardenas. “There’s always a lot of laughing when I’m with her.”
Jones also commented on how much she enjoys talking to Coleman.
“I love hearing about her world travels,” Jones said. “She recently took a trip, and I enjoyed her showing me the pictures and telling me all about it.”
Not only are Coleman’s coworkers going to miss her knowledge on everything they do, but they will miss her kind heart and enjoyable company.
One moment about working for MSU Coleman said she appreciates and will remember was during her last Maroon Friday photo, when the staff was notified she was retiring.
“It really touched me how many people came,” Coleman said.
While there are many things to miss about working at MSU, an entirely new chapter is opening in Coleman’s life, and she is looking forward to reading forward while also looking back with fond memories.