Contributed Photo
Janet Fitol
ANSONIA — The city’s beloved children’s librarian recently closed the chapter on a more than 40-year career influencing countless kids on books, love and kindness.
Janet Fitol, 60, retired last month from the Ansonia Public Library, the place she first began working at when she was just 16 years old.
“I started in 1976 as a part-time page, earning $3.62 an hour, and I never left,” Fitol said. “I went to work to save up so I could buy my family our first microwave.”
During her career, Fitol has worked under five library directors, five mayors and numerous library boards. But it’s been her work with children that has proven to be the most rewarding for Fitol.
“I love working with children,” Fitol said.
While not a mother herself, Fitol knew early on her calling was to work with children.
“My grandmother once told me that even though I won’t have children of my own, I’ll be in children’s’ lives,’ Fitol said. “I grew up one street away from the library (located at 53 S. Cliff St.) and am still there to this day.”
Promoted to Children’s Librarian in 1979 —- a title she held right up until her last day of work on April 22 — Fitol found daily joy in reading to Ansonia kids at nursery school, in elementary school classrooms and at the library’s weekly story hours.
“I read stories to about 400 children a month, and I would always take extra books with me if the kids were getting a little feisty,” she said.
Fitol thrived on helping kids, back in the days before computers and the Internet, do research for school projects, using those old-fashioned things known as encyclopedias.
“Things are so different today, but kids still come to the library, because you can’t find everything on Google,” Fitol quipped.
Speaking of the good ol’ days, Fitol recalled how kids used to walk to the library and everyone had a library card, which was a big deal.
“The library has so many resources for children and adults; the Internet doesn’t have everything you need,” Fitol said. “The library is a great place to socialize, too. Our library is also full of history and on tours I would give to children, and adults, I would teach them some of it.”
Fitol wowed patrons with her knowledge of the 100 plus year old building, including fun facts like how the historic water trough out front was named in memory of Anna Sewell, author of the infamous “Black Beauty.” She also said the gargoyles keeping watch atop the library were there “to keep bad spirits away.”
Between hosting countless “Grandma and Me” tea parties, magicians, llama petting zoos, story hours and summer programs, Fitol feels blessed to have been part of so many lives.
“The children who I started with now bring their own children in, and I used to have people come to story hour who didn’t even have kids of their own,” Fitol said. “I would stay here until I’m 80, but for health reasons, I had to step away.”
Fitol hopes to continue reading at schools and volunteering at the senior center.
Mayor David Cassett recently presented Fitol with a key to the city, and proclaimed May 1 as “Janet Fitol Day.” Her dream is to have a reunion on one of those days with children of all ages who came through library.
During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Fitol terribly missed seeing kids in person, but held virtual story hours to keep those strong connections going.
One little patron, Brooklyn Donofrio, 3, granddaughter to Alderman Joseph Jeanette, Jr., was thrilled to see “Miss Janet” again, albeit though a computer screen.
“My granddaughter Brooklyn and I used to go the library every Tuesday for story hour; she loved Miss Janet so much,” Jeanette said. “She didn’t go to many people, but she always went right to Miss Janet, who has such a special draw to kids. Janet is every kid’s second mother. If ever there were a mother of Ansonia, it would be Janet.”
Cassetti, reached via email, echoed similar sentiments.
“Janet is far more than a children’s librarian,” he said. “In her case, you could judge a book by its cover. She had a welcoming smile, friendly and positive attitude and all of that shined through to children and those who knew her. She is a friend, familiar face, source of comfort, joy and knowledge. Every child and all the parents cherished their time with her. She didn’t view her job as a job, and that’s a blessing for Ansonia and those lives she touched.”
