Not many people have the ability to say that they have worked for the same place or in the same industry for over 40 years. However, the Princeton Public Library had the privilege in 2024 & 2025 to help honor 2 such amazing library workers: Sabrina Frederick and Bonita Johnson.
Sabrina Frederick was the Director for the Princeton Public Library for a while before dedicating herself to library service in Gibson and Pike counties by being Director at Fort Branch-Johnson Township Library and Pike County Public. While stepping down from Directorship and serving as a Circulation worker both full and part time, Sabrina ultimately decided to retire at the end of 2024. We majorly appreciate her years of dedication and we know that Library Services in our area have grown and changed because of her. Sabrina says she feels as if she leaves the Princeton Public Library in a good place. "PPL is a different critter than it was when I started as a 23 year old. The building itself was much smaller; Only a staff of 4 until Bonnie was hired on a couple of years later," says Frederick. She continued that she is proud of the staff and what has been laid out for the future of the library, "I could frolick down memory lane forever. I just wanted to tell all {staff} that I'm proud of your performance: how you treat each other and how you show graciousness to patrons. Carry on, everyone. Princeton needs you and I'm proud of you."
Bonita "Bonnie" Johnson was first hired to help Betty Ahlemann, who was instrumental in creating and maintaining the Local History & Genealogy Department at Princeton Public Library, in 1989. Bonnie and Betty dedicated so much of who they were/are to the library and history for Gibson County that it was decided by Board of Trustees vote to rename the department officially to the Ahlemann-Johnson Local History & Genealogy Department on June 18th, 2024. Bonnie was also awarded a Key to the City by Princeton City Mayor Greg Wright on that day for her unwavering service to the library and researchers alike. This may have marked a major milestone in Bonnie's career, but she officially held on before having her final day at PPL in January of 2025.
Both of these wonderful ladies will be dearly missed by the library staff and we thank them again for their many years of service.