Velva library renamed after longtime librarian
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VELVA -- It's not often a teacher, let alone a librarian, wakes up one morning to find out a library has been named after them. But that is pretty much what happened to Iris Swedlund, a mostly retired educator and librarian from Velva who recently had the school/public library renamed in her honor.
"I'm lucky. I just had two students stop me and say, "Mrs. Swedlund, I am who I am because of you. It's very humbling," Swedlund said.
At a ceremony held in Velva on Thursday, the (mostly) retired teacher and librarian was celebrated by students past and present for all her contributions throughout her 44-year career. Swedlund received the North Dakota Teacher of the Year award in 1983 and was the driving force behind the school's Future Business Leaders of America club. In her semi-retirement, Swedlund continues to substitute on occasion and serves as a spokesman for Humanities ND.
After reading a story written by current elementary students and a video of congratulations from North Dakota writers and luminaries, Swedlund and children Searle and Shayla reflected on her career and the impact she and the community have had on each other.
"I believe that teachers do this work because of a transformative experience that was given to them, that touched their life to make an impact on the world," Shayla said. "Never underestimate the impact of learning. Iris is an example that we can all live by, to live life to the fullest, to encourage us to find the best we have to offer."