But on Friday she will farewell her role at Bowral Library when she retires.

It was 33 years ago when Sandra first became involved in Highlands libraries.

After previously working at libraries in Sydney, she moved to the area after getting married and having a family.

A six month maternity leave role popped up and for Sandra it was an opportunity to get back into a familiar role.

And she has been involved in the shire’s libraries ever since.

Her first role was as branch librarian in Mittagong before she became the library services coordinator.

In her time there have been many changes- not the least of which was building the current Bowral library.

Before that the library operated out of the old town hall.

While technology has become a big part of people’s lives, Sandra said the library was still well used and had adapted to the modern era.

When she first started, card catalogues were used to look up where books were in the library.

People now have access to a range of online resources.

And from the simple card catalogue, people can now renew books online, look up the catalogue and send work from their device at home to print in the library.

“We hopefully have moved with the times. We have wireless access so people can come in with their computers and use them here.

“It hasn’t really diminished people using libraries. They just use them in a different way.”

Despite the rise in technology, Sandra said she still loved the experience of reading a hard copy book.

But she said eBooks did have a role to play.

“You can download books to read on the train and flights and things but it’s still nice to take a book to bed in the evening. I think they can coexist side by side.”

Working in a library every day, Sandra often comes across books she would love to delve into.

But with very little time during the working day, she doesn’t get much of a chance to read any of them.

“I think the misconception is that people think if you work in libraries you must be able to sit and read all day. But in fact you don’t really get the time to do that. I’m forever seeing things- going past and thinking I’d love to read that.”

She now has a long list of books she wants to work through but admits it could take some time to get through them all.

An eclectic reader, Sandra said she reads widely, but particularly enjoys biographies, non fiction, good fiction and “a little bit of trash from time to time.”

She said there were still ‘regulars’ who came to the library each week.

“Some people just come in to read the newspaper, others come in to study and some just come in to talk to somebody.

“People still like to come in and have that one on one, particularly in the country I think.”

With the reality of leaving setting in, Sandra said she would miss those she had worked with over the years.

“I will miss the people more than anything else. It’s a great staff and everybody gets on well. And [I’ll miss’ the interaction with the public.”