Oswego Public Library District Director Sarah Skilton continues to receive plenty of accolades after recently announcing that she will retire from the district on Sept. 30.

She has been with the library district since 1994 and has served as its director since 1999.

“She has left a strong mark on Oswego School District 308 and her vision for partnering with our school district in really productive ways of promoting literacy in our school district,” said District 308 Superintendent Andalib Khelghati, who attended a retirement party for Skilton on Sept. 19 that was held at the downtown Oswego library campus. “So we’re excited at all that has been achieved. She’s definitely left her mark in terms of the legacy for Oswego.”

During her tenure, Skilton has seen the number of people that the district serves soar from 25,595 people to more than 70,508.

To deal with the growing population, Skilton worked to get the community to pass a referendum for the construction of the district’s Montgomery campus, which opened in 2009. She also oversaw a project to expand and renovate the downtown Oswego campus in 2015.

The library district serves portions of Kendall, Will and Kane counties.

Both the Oswego Village Board and Oswego Library Board approved proclamations honoring Skilton.

“It was just the right time, both for myself but for the library as well,” Skilton said in talking about her retirement.

She noted the library district has several projects on the horizon, including the acquisition of an outreach vehicle and the possible construction of a third campus, its second in Montgomery.

Gloria Drake enjoyed working with Skilton. Drake, who had been an adult reference librarian at the Oswego Public Library, retired in December.

“One of the things that I liked about Sarah was that if you had an idea, almost always she would say, ‘Run with it. Go do it,’” Drake said. ”She was very open minded. For a while, I ran a literacy festival here and she got behind that."

During the retirement party, Oswego Library Board President Terry Tamblyn thanked Skilton for her service.

“We are here today to say thank you and wish Sarah well in her retirement,” he said.

Tamblyn then read the library board’s proclamation honoring Skilton.

Skilton complimented the work of the library board and the library staff.

“You won’t find a more dedicated staff,” she said. “They’ve done everything. ... I’m so lucky to have been part of that.”

Skilton also is thankful for the strong support she has received from the community.

“People say the kindest and nicest things,” she said. “It’s hard to leave, because it’s such a wonderful place. But it’s a good time for the library and it’s a good time for me.”