The St. Joseph Public Library is inviting the public to help say farewell to retiring Children’s Librarian, Will Stuck.

A reception to honor the longtime employee will be held at the East Hills Library, 502 N. Woodbine Rd., on Tuesday from 2 to 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to stop by to wish Will good luck, sign the guestbook and enjoy light refreshments.

Will Stuck will be leaving the St. Joseph Public Library system June 2. According to a news release, Will began working for the libraries in St. Joseph in June of 1993 as a page and held various positions over the next four years until he found his home in children’s services. Eventually he became manager of the children’s department at the East Hills Branch of SJPL in 2002.

Library Director Mary Beth Revels said at the start of his role as department head, Will made it a mission to turn the library from a “place in the community” to a “part of the community”.

“To do this he joined multiple youth related boards and organizations around St. Joseph and made it a priority to visit any school or organization that called requesting a visit from the library,” Revels said. “Will’s outreach efforts are evident by the increased participation in the summer reading program, as well as other library events and the numerous library cards that were made out to children who said, ‘This funny guy read to me at school today. He said that he works here.'”

Will is making the leap into full-time children’s entertainer and public speaker.