Being a librarian at Peddie comes with many responsibilities. Want snacks? Go to Cafe Annenberg. Need to borrow a textbook or calculator? Check one out at the library. Nowhere to go during off blocks? Visit the many tables, coaches and study rooms the library provides. This wouldn’t be possible without the help of Ms. Serach, who makes it her goal to construct a comforting and reliable library for students. In addition to her work in the library, Ms. Serach is the faculty advisor for the Book Club, where she oversees the program and provides Peddie students with great reads every month. She has succeeded for the past seven years while working alongside Mr. Dubrule, Ms. Helmstetter, Ms. Caffrey and Ms. Fitzpatrick.

Prior to her job at Peddie, Ms. Serach worked at a public library where she learned the importance of helping people around her. When asked how she carries this out, Ms. Serach said, “My husband keeps telling me that if you help one person a day, that’s enough. So that’s my new mantra now.” Outside of Annenberg Library, her devotion to helping others and her passion for gardening drives her to be the coordinator of the Ewing Garden Association. There, she works in cooperation with The College of New Jersey to donate food to a local food bank through her love for gardening. Students in need of assistance can rely on Ms. Serach through her commitment to serving others. Whether it be for a snack, a box of markers or just to talk and hang around, the Peddie community can depend on her to return the favor.

Ms. Serach starts her day bright and early with a book in hand while relishing the quiet peace of her home. She emphasizes the importance of coffee, especially Peet’s, to start her day. Moreover, exercise is a big factor in her everyday life and traces back to the early morning hours.
Ms. Serach tends to her many plants and makes it a daily routine to feed the birds and squirrels outside her house every day.

She arrives on campus and heads to her office to prepare for a busy day in the library. When asked about the beginning of her day in the library, she replies, “I get to have the best view on campus. My office looks out at the sunrise in the morning, and that’s pretty special.” She also emphasized her yearning to help others, especially those who ask for help. When she’s not helping kids with requests, Ms. Serach spends her mornings creating compelling displays for Peddie’s library to engage students in the act of reading. Furthermore, she is constantly researching popular books that are of interest to Peddie’s audience while in collaboration with Mr. Dubrule.

When asked what the library is like during lunch, “total chaos” is the only phrase equivalent to reality. The only break she gets during lunch is to eat and get some more exercise. “I walk every day at lunchtime. I need to get outside. I look out the window and see the sunshine, and it’s like teasing me all morning,” she said. Ms. Serach eats lunch in her office with Ms. Helmstetter by grabbing a quick lunch from the dining hall. If the weather allows, Ms. Serach tries to eat outside at the History House fountain. She reminisces about pre-COVID meals in the dining hall with groups of friends and hopes to be able to do so again.

Once the library settles down during PA and after school hours, Ms. Serach has the chance to reset and start working on tidying up the library. She makes sure all calculators are charged, displays are organized and misplaced books are returned to their original spots. Once she fulfills all her tasks, Ms. Serach is able to head home for the night. At home, Ms. Serach’s night consists of relaxing with her husband, watching true crime, Netflix or home improvement shows. She ends her nights outside, sitting on her porch. There, Ms. Search is finally able to decompress after a bustling day.

There is no doubt that the success of Annenberg Library would be incomplete without the contribution of Ms. Search. From her devotion to finding the perfect book to her presence with others, it is easy to conclude that Ms. Serach’s everyday role in and out of the library fosters community amongst Peddie students and creates a sanctuary for students and teachers alike.