RCLS Mourns Helen Kerrigan

This week, the Riverside County Library staff and public lost a dear friend and co-worker. Helen Kerrigan, manager of the Desert Hot Springs Library for nearly 20 years until health problems forced her to step down, died on March 21.
 
Helen was an outstanding librarian who always put the needs of her customers and the city that she worked with first. Helen worked for the Riverside County Library System since 1992 as the manager of the Desert Hot Springs Library and at the Thousand Palms and La Quinta libraries. Among many other accomplishments, she enthusiastically embraced programming to the community and was one of the first librarians to emphasize buying materials for teenagers. She was a thoughtful supervisor and colleague who was always willing to help out staff in other library branches throughout the desert region and the rest of the county. 
 
A native of England, Helen retained her charming accent even as she thoroughly assimilated herself into the life of California and the West. Helen’s gentle and soft-spoken manner belied her passion for life, including her horses, the desert environment, country music and line dancing.
 
Helen is survived by her partner and soul-mate of 16 years, Randy Franklyn, six siblings, and many devoted friends. Helen’s passing is deeply felt and she will be sorely missed by all of us at the Riverside County Library, her customers, and her community.