A Tribute to Judi Paradis

Anita Cellucci is the Teacher Librarian at Westborough High School

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“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.
But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” – Mother Teresa
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This past week, we lost a beloved colleague, mentor, and leader much too soon. The hearts of school librarians in Massachusetts and beyond will never be quite the same. She found the positive in every person she met and had the ability to make each one of us feel seen. Words do not do justice to all the good that she did - for school libraries, for librarians, and with great love, for her students. The school library is often said to be the heart of the school, a place where everyone feels welcomed. Providing that safe space for our communities is often deeply embedded in our vision. No one embodied this more than Judi Paradis.

There is so much that I will miss about our colleague, our inspiration, our friend. Here are just a few things:

• Her incredible knowledge and understanding of politics, social justice and how all of this intersects with being a good human - all while making everyone around her want to do better
  
• Her passion for all things library
  
• The way that she connected people
  
• The stories... of her family, her travels and adventures, and especially her students
  
• Her innate ability to see the beauty around her and to articulate it in a meaningful way
  
• The way her laughter could make our hearts lighter  
  

Remembering Judi will be easy, honoring her easier still. Put your whole heart into life, help others and throw a lot of love around - because that’s what Judi did and it’s what she would want in her memory.

Rest in Power our friend, we will do good for you.