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December 21, 2020   |  News

2020 Year In Review by Lennie Beamon, Branch Manager, Camden Library

Charles Dickens famously opens one of his greatest books, “A Tale of Two Cities”, with a quote that is more famous than the book itself. The opening line of the book reads, “It is the best of times, and the worst of times…”. As I was reading this book for the first time, this opening line and subsequent paragraph confused me. How is it possible to be two contradictory and opposing things at the same time? Either the times were the best, or they were the worst. They could not, in my mind, be both. I struggled with this opening and finally dismissed it as a literary use of the English language.

March 2020 brought about closure for the Madison County Library System due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Library buildings were closed for an extended period of time. As library patrons were needing services, library officials were desperately seeking solutions. It was decided that we should offer Curbside Services. Patrons would be able to fax, copy, print, check out books, and utilize free Wi-Fi from the library’s parking lot.

A variety of programs were offered during the summer from the Camden branch including Summer Reading, Snapshot Day, Library Card Sign Up Day and Mask Giveaway which also included Census registration, voter registration and free books given away by the Madison County Library System.

It is without a doubt that in 2020 we have seen the worst side of this life. We have faced the pandemic of COVID-19 that has affected millions and has taken over 200,000 American citizens as of this writing with more projected. We have witnessed the tension of racial inequality, watching in horror as videos emerge of brutality and injustice. We have seen hatred rise, with bigotry that we thought was long gone, sexism that we thought we had passed, and hate groups that we thought had been regulated to the history books, re-emerge. We have seen job losses and layoffs. It is without a doubt that we have seen the worst of times.

But, if we really reflect over the year, I would submit that we have also seen the best of times. We have seen neighbors helping one another through some of the most difficult periods of their lives. We have seen doctors and nurses risk and even sacrifice their lives to try and give aid to sick and dying patients. We have seen companies donate to food pantries and communities that need basic goods. We have seen churches and nonprofits step up and have lunch give a ways and food giveaways to help those that need help. We have worn masks and socially distanced from our friends and loved ones, collectively shutdown society, and allowed our institutions to close temporarily, not to save ourselves, but to avoid risking the lives of strangers we have never met.

No matter how the “worst of times” were, we have seen our brothers and sisters rise to remind us how great the “best of times” can be also.

The choice Dickens leaves us with is which one will win out. Although we may not have a choice as to whether both exist, we do have a choice in which one is predominant. When history writes about us, will we let the worst be the author that pens the story? Or will we reject division, hatred, fear and worry, and embrace strength, love and mercy that has been our way through these challenging times? Let us write together a story that when our children and grandchildren read it, they can know that when it was the worst of times, we chose to let the best of times shine through.

As always, we are grateful and appreciate your patience and support. Your suggestions/comments are always needed. “I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever thanks”. – William Shakespeare

Written by Lennie Beamon

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Madison County Library System
102 Priestley Street
Canton, MS 39046
601-859-7733

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