Where I Work: Rye Free Reading Room’s Director Chris Shoemaker
Where I Work showcases people who work in Rye. The feature is inspired in part by exploring how the pandemic has impacted our work environment and part by wanting to understand how and where people work inside the City of Rye.
Today we meet library director Chris Shoemaker.
Do you know someone we should interview for Where I Work? Tell us!
Your Name: Chris Shoemaker
Your Company: Rye Free Reading Room
MyRye.com: What do you do?
Shoemaker: Director
Where do you work?
Shoemaker: Thanks to the Parsons family and their generous 1905 land gift, the library has a prime spot in the center of Rye, right at 1061 Boston Post Road. It’s a privilege to walk through town and around the Village Green on my way into my office each day. Conveniently, my office is located on the first floor, at the back of the library.
Describe your desk and office.
Shoemaker: My office has a corner overhanging Blink Brook, so I enjoy hearing both the light everyday babbling water, and the roaring rush of storm overflow. The various office plants I have on the window sills appreciate the abundant sunlight. Behind my desk are selected books from the Doris Bird Collection, which is made up of fairy tales, folk stories, and other significant works of children’s literature.
Right outside of my office door is a framed image of historic Playland, and every time I need a break from my monitor, I glance over and try to find a new detail. There’s also a silver hippo head staple remover on my desk, and it never fails to make me smile when I use it.
