As the Queens Public Library celebrates its 125th anniversary, Ruth Herzberg will soon celebrate her own milestone. Herzberg has worked here for almost 50 years. She’s the library’s longest-serving employee.

"It means everything to me," she said. "I can truly say that when I get out of bed in the morning, I look forward with excitement coming to my job."

Herzberg started in 1971 as a librarian.  For the past 15 years, she’s helped plan and design library buildings, overseeing more than 50 renovations.

"The joy and excitement that I see in the customers as they enter a beautiful and experience a beautiful new space just fills me with joy," she said.

The Queens Library started about 75 years before Herzberg started her library career. The library opened its first branch in Long Island City in 1896 with a mission to provide free access to everyone.

"We've opened our doors in so many different ways and it’s evolved based on the public’s needs and that’s the beauty of the library system we are here free, “ said Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott.

Walcott has been CEO and president for five years, but the library has been a part of him his whole life.

"My favorite series when I was growing up was the Hardy Boys because the Hardy Boys were able to travel the globe-solving mysteries, and it was my portal into other worlds, other lands, other backgrounds," he said. "To me, that’s what the library does."

The library now has 66 locations. It has become one of the most diverse libraries serving the world’s most diverse borough, with materials in more than 30 languages. It’s evolved into a community hub with job training and adult education, as well as English as a second language classes.

"That's the role of the library, how we make our society a better place," Walcott said.

Walcott plans more library renovations in the future, and evolving the library's programs.

Herzberg plans to be here for it. She says she has no plans to retire anytime soon.

"I still love what I do," she said. "We have some exciting projects coming along. It just gives me so much pleasure to do those projects."

For more information, visit queenslibrary.org.