Miss Cindy's final read

Cindy Schaaf’s final day as head children’s librarian at the Seaford Public Library may have been Jan. 30, but her farewell tour wasn’t over yet.

Miss Cindy, as she was known to the thousands of children and parents she met during her 33 years at the library, made an appearance at Seaford Middle School on Feb. 4 for one last read.

Children from the Seaford Manor and Harbor schools were invited to one of two sessions with Miss Cindy that evening. Many wore their pajamas and spread out on blankets in the gymnasium. Her dramatic of Maria Polushkin Robbins’ “Mother, Mother, I Want Another” — all from memory — delighted her crowds.

Among those in attendance were Schaaf’s grandson, 11-year-old Tyler Reeves, who attends Seaford Middle School. Reeves will still have her around to read to him, but knows his friends are going to miss her. “She was very enthusiastic about the books and how she acted them out,” he said.

Timmy McLaughlin, 9, who attends the Manor School, doesn’t know how long he had been going to Miss Cindy’s programs, but said it was a long time. Aidan Lukas, 9, attended her many events including movie showings, chess club, science labs and story times. “She read books to me which is nice,” he said, “and she has fun activities.”

“I’m going to miss her as a librarian,” added 9-year-old Michael Lent, “because there’s nobody like her.”

Thomas Harrington, 10, noted that she would never make a mistake while reading, while 10-year-old Ryan Hall pointed out how Miss Cindy knew everyone’s name. Jared Saloman, also 10, explained how she made everyone around her happy.

For 7-year-old Isabella Marino, who came to the program with a teddy bear, she will remember Miss Cindy for being nice and caring. Her mother also went to Miss Cindy’s programs as a child.

Seaford Schools Superintendent Brian Conboy, joined on stage by other administrators, said that while children in Seaford don’t all attend the same school, they have many things in common. They go to the same stores and parks, and they all know Miss Cindy.

He noted that thousands of children have taken their first steps in literacy under her watchful eye, and she has instilled a love of reading in many. “Miss Cindy has set the standard of excellence,” Conboy said.

Every library in Nassau County has a children’s department, Conboy said, but Seaford stood out because of her presence. He noted that despite Seaford being a small community, it has the best-attended children’s programs around.

Schaaf, in her remarks, said she never thought she was doing anything special. Being a children’s librarian was her job, a job she loved, and never understood the true impact she had on others until still announced her retirement.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better job,” she said, “and a better journey.”