Welcome at the Library

Dale Connors's Story

Dale Connors was a chronic paranoid schizophrenic for most of the adult portion of his 53 years. Early on, Dale's paranoia and anger compelled him to alienate himself from his family, and forever afterward to avoid any kind of normal socialization. Even so, Dale managed to be well behaved, well groomed, well organized, able to take care of himself and carry on some sort of intellectual and artistic life for himself.

...Dale spent time at the Pinney Branch of the Library, quietly reading. He must have felt welcome there, because he returned often. In fact, on the night he was killed in a hit and run accident, Dale had been reading at the Pinney branch.

...The library offers knowledge, imagination, warmth and safety to all kinds of people, even to special people like Dale whose mental disease makes it impossible for them to lead anything like a normal life. Most people who constantly have to struggle against forces are the ones least able to understand. Dale managed on his own to cope with those forces as well as anyone could. At the Pinney Branch of the Library he must have felt welcome and comfortable, and for making that possible, the family of Dale Connors will always be most grateful.

-- Dean Connors, Madison (part of a story to the Foundation, published in full with a photo in Sequels Spring 2009)