Exactly 20 years after she started, Brenda Wentz chose to wrap up her career at the Palmerton Area Library.

Friends, colleagues, and plenty of other well-wishers stopped by the library on Wednesday to congratulate Wentz on her well-earned retirement.

Wentz, who started at the library on May 6, 2006, had served as the library’s system administrator.

She explained that after Gerald Geiger retired, Diane Danielson took over.

Wentz said both she and Danielson were Girl Scout leaders, and Danielson knew that Wentz had her own business that dealt with personal computers.

“I said I was interested in a part-time job, and started out one to two days,” she said. “Barbara Eastland, who was president at the time, said, ‘we need her more,’ so I went from one day to four days over a time period.”

Wentz, of Lower Towamensing Township, described the pride she felt in her role at the library.

“I make sure I’m always helping somebody that needs help,” she said. “I loved the people coming through.”

Wentz said she always believed the most important job was to meet the patrons walking in and greet them as they leave.

“I gained friendships with a lot of people I would have never known,” she said. “We had two different carriers, and this (Wednesday) morning Russ (a carrier) came in and I said ‘today’s my last day’, and he said, ‘I’m going to miss you; you take care of yourself,’ so that made me feel good.”

Wentz praised the library for having “a lot of good programs.”

“We’re getting a lot more families with young children,” she said. “But we’re not getting the teens.”

Wentz noted the library is lucky to have people that donate.

“We always appreciate the people that think about us,” she said. “We want to provide a great service.”

Christine DeSousa, the library director, said Wentz was a true asset to the library during her tenure.

“She has been a critical person in moving technology forward at the Palmerton Area Library,” DeSousa said.

So how exactly does Wentz intend to spend her spare time?

“I’m going to relax for the next couple of months, crafting, baking, reading,” she said. “I may end up volunteering.”