Community Corner
New Orleans Public Library: Jul 8 Charles Delong Retires From Library After 32-Year Printing Career
See the latest announcement from the New Orleans Public Library.
2021-07-08
Whenever you pick up a paper handout from the New Orleans Public Library, there’s a good chance you’re holding Charles Delong’s work. Since 1989, Delong has been behind the Library scenes, printing every bookmark, every poster, every brochure, flyer, business card ––you name it, he printed it. Now, after 32 years of hard work, Delong is retiring, leaving behind him a time capsule to the days long before the inkjet printer.
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“When I started doing printing, it was a very specialized profession, it required a lot of skill,” Delong said. “I learned from a guy named Genovese who owned a printing shop in the French Quarter. I used to work nights for him, and he taught me the basics.”
Delong started working for the New Orleans Police Department in 1979 and transferred to the Library 10 years later, where he met his mentor, Robert Baxter.
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“Robert taught me how to do full color processing. We were really good. If we had the paper, we could have printed money, that’s how good we were,” Delong said, laughing. “Not that we would do that, but it really is an art. When I first started doing this, computers hardly existed, let alone high-capacity color printers. It wasn’t easy, you couldn’t just press a button.”
For the last few years of his career, Delong’s supervisor was John Marc Sharpe, the Library’s former director of marketing.
“Charles is one of a kind. Professionally, his decades of experience, knowledge, and dedication to the Library will be impossible to replace, but it’s his personal connections and relationships with staff –– some going back over 30 years –– that will be missed the most,” Sharpe said. “However, his retirement is very well-deserved.”
Sharpe left the Library last fall. Jane LeGros took over his role, after having worked with Delong for five years in the marketing department.
“Charles was a wonderful part of our marketing team. I’m going to miss his stories and his humor, but I am grateful to have worked with him and to have seen his work all around the Library,” LeGros said. “Not many people think about who prints bookmarks, fliers, or posters; they’re just there. But Charles was dedicated to his job, and the Library would certainly look different without him.”
Delong’s office is in the first of two basements at the Main Library, where his beloved old printing machines still sit.
“I’m an old-school printer. I like the ink under my fingernails. I love that. You just don’t get that anymore with the new way,” he said.
Whenever you pick up a paper handout from the New Orleans Public Library, there’s a good chance you’re holding Charles Delong’s work. Since 1989, Delong has been behind the Library scenes, printing every bookmark, every poster, every brochure, flyer, business card ––you name it, he printed it. Now, after 32 years of hard work, Delong is retiring, leaving behind him a time capsule to the days long before the inkjet printer.
“When I started doing printing, it was a very specialized profession, it required a lot of skill,” Delong said. “I learned from a guy named Genovese who owned a printing shop in the French Quarter. I used to work nights for him, and he taught me the basics.”
Delong started working for the New Orleans Police Department in 1979 and transferred to the Library 10 years later, where he met his mentor, Robert Baxter.
“Robert taught me how to do full color processing. We were really good. If we had the paper, we could have printed money, that’s how good we were,” Delong said, laughing. “Not that we would do that, but it really is an art. When I first started doing this, computers hardly existed, let alone high-capacity color printers. It wasn’t easy, you couldn’t just press a button.”
For the last few years of his career, Delong’s supervisor was John Marc Sharpe, the Library’s former director of marketing.
“Charles is one of a kind. Professionally, his decades of experience, knowledge, and dedication to the Library will be impossible to replace, but it’s his personal connections and relationships with staff –– some going back over 30 years –– that will be missed the most,” Sharpe said. “However, his retirement is very well-deserved.”
Sharpe left the Library last fall. Jane LeGros took over his role, after having worked with Delong for five years in the marketing department.
“Charles was a wonderful part of our marketing team. I’m going to miss his stories and his humor, but I am grateful to have worked with him and to have seen his work all around the Library,” LeGros said. “Not many people think about who prints bookmarks, fliers, or posters; they’re just there. But Charles was dedicated to his job, and the Library would certainly look different without him.”
Delong’s office is in the first of two basements at the Main Library, where his beloved old printing machines still sit.
“I’m an old-school printer. I like the ink under my fingernails. I love that. You just don’t get that anymore with the new way,” he said.
This press release was produced by the New Orleans Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.