FORTY-FOUR SEATTLE Public Library staff members — many of them members of Council 2’s Local 2083 —were honored January 26 for more than 30 years service to the library. The awards were presented at a special Service Awards Ceremony held by the board of trustees.
Some have worked at the library for almost 40 years. The stories of two are told below.

He's a car repair expert — at home and at work

WORKING IN the auto repair collection at the Seattle Public Library is more than a daytime job for Eric Cisney. It fits right in with his love for repairing broken-down vehicles and restoring vintage cars.

So much so that Cisney has devoted almost 39 years of his working life at the library to developing a card file and an index to the auto manuals and to helping amateur and professional mechanics from across the state find the information they need for the cars on which they are working.

Cisney was one of 44 staff members who were honored January 26 for more than 30 years service to the library.

Back home, he’s at his happiest repairing something around the house or tinkering with automobiles.

On the 15 acres of land he owns in Port Orchard you will find vehicles ranging from a 1948 Seagrave Fire Engine and a World War II Dodge ambulance to a 1957 Chevrolet pick-up truck or a Volkswagen Beetle.

“I taught school for a couple of years before I became a librarian,” Cisney says. “And it’s the same atmosphere. There is an educational aspect to this job. Some of the same feelings of helping people carry over.”

Cisney not only has been a valuable librarian, he also has been an enthusiastic union activist.

In addition to helping establish Local 2083 at the library, he served as union president for six years and was involved in negotiating three labor contracts.

“Belonging to the union means you are not alone,” Cisney says.
“When you talk to a supervisor, you can have someone with you.
“This gives you more power than just as an individual.”

Cisney, who turned 65 in December, plans to retire from public service on May 6. His automobiles will keep him busy in retirement and he plans to become involved in volunteer work in the Port Orchard area.

In a lifetime of service she has covered most subjects

Of all the inquiries that people make at the Seattle Public Library, those on cooking and recipes rank among the most popular.

Among the leading experts in that field is Linda Saunto, who was among those honored in January for devoting more than 30 years to serving visitors at the Seattle Public Library.

Saunto — hired in a pre-professional classification in the Art and Music Department in August1968 — reached the culinary section after working in almost every division of the library. Armed with a degree and state certification, she moved from subject to subject, answering questions, helping with research, assisting job seekers find employment, digging out codes for engineers and advising Government researchers on a variety of topics, including environmental impact statements.

“The depth of information that the library provides is exciting,” Saunto says. “We provide a lot of professional back-up, scholarly research and everything from auto repair to home improvement.”
And, of course, cooking skills.

In the last couple of years, Saunto has been helping out in the library’s many branches and is temporary head of the Columbia Library north of Rainier Beach in Seattle until mid-March.

Saunto was president of Local 2083 for more than three years and is currently executive vice president. She has held almost every office in the union and has helped to negotiate several contracts.

“Being in the union has helped my professional experience because I care how we are treated as well as what we do,” Saunto says. “I love my job, particularly the way we interact with the people. But I care very much how we workers are treated.”

Recently the library administration has moved toward closer communications with the union, Saunto says. It’s a move that she believes will lead to better understanding and therefore an improved working environment.