August/September 2016

People

Central Rappahannock Regional Library

Lynda BaerAfter a 31-year career, LYNDA BAER retired from her adult programmer position on Wednesday, August 24, 2016, which also happened to be her birthday. She also steps down after serving 4 years as president of the Friends of Chatham, a non-profit that she started in conjunction with the National Park Service to support historic Chatham Manor in Stafford County. She will continue to volunteer with Chatham and also has plans to start a Unit for Professional Parliamentarians in the Fredericksburg area. With her continued activities in the Daughters of the American Revolution and visits to see her daughter in Brooklyn, New York, Lynda will have fulfilling retirement.

Chesapeake Public Library

Debbie CouchThe Chesapeake Public Library is thrilled to introduce DEBBIE COUCH, our first Training Specialist. Ms. Couch has worked in all areas of front line public library service and has a training background with the federal government.

 


Katie WaltonChesapeake Public Library’s new Public Information Coordinator, KATIE WALTON is an innovative and motivated team player with a habit of talking up libraries. Ms. Walton has worked in both high school and university libraries, but is most excited to serve her community at the Chesapeake Public Library where she has worked since 2005. Ms. Walton officially started as the Public Information Coordinator on August 1, 2016.


Vivian WashingtonSouth Norfolk Memorial Library’s new manager VIVIAN WASHINGTON is one of Chesapeake Public Library’s shining stars. Ms. Washington started her career in the Chesapeake Public Library managing Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Library. She briefly served as manager of Major Hillard Library. In August of 2016, Ms. Washington moved to the South Norfolk Memorial Library where she will play a pivotal role in managing the library in a joint use, public/private facility.

Sharon WilsonSHARON WILSON is now the Outreach Coordinator for the Chesapeake Public Library. Ms. Wilson has been employed with the Chesapeake Public Library since October 1, 1979 where she began as a library assistant I in the children’s department. Ms. Wilson was a participant in the CETA government program. Advancing up to Library Information Specialist she has served as acting manager at the South Norfolk Memorial Library, department head at the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Library. She has been tapped to lead the Outreach Services team, heading up the Mobile Edition, coordinating staff, programs and community events to reach out to those unable to visit the library.

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library

Angela CriticsANGELA CRITICS has been selected as the new Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Children’s Services Manager. Angela has a Master’s in Art History from the University of Delaware and an MLS from Drexel University. She has been with JMRL since August 2013. Prior to JMRL, she worked at Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Youth Services and Collection Development and in Children’s Services at the US Army facility in Brussels. Angela is very active in the Virginia Library Association, presenting at statewide conferences, and has recently become the Vice Chair/Chair Elect for the VLA Youth Services Forum. As the JMRL Children’s Services Manager, Angela will be responsible for leading JMRL children’s services regionally including community and school partnerships, collection development and regional children’s programming. 

Powhatan County Public Library

Whitney M. BerrimanWHITNEY M. BERRIMAN has joined the Powhatan County Public Library as Librarian. Prior to joining PCPL, Berriman managed the Montpelier & Cochrane Rockville branches of Pamunkey Regional Library. She also served as Staff Training Coordinator for Henrico County Public Library. She has a Master’s in Library Science and Information Technology from Catholic University of America and a Bachelor of Arts in Historic Preservation from Mary Washington College. 

Suffolk Public Library

Amy BrunsonAMY BRUNSON is SPL’s new Outreach Librarian as of August 16, 2016. She received her undergraduate degree in English from Arkansas Tech University and a Masters in Library Science from the University of Tennessee. Until now, her favorite job was being a bookmobile clerk and driver for her local public library as well as interning in the Young Adult department.

 

Madelyn KresinskeMADELYN KRESINSKE is SPL’s new Elementary Services Supervisor as of August 15, 2016. She worked for Virginia Beach Public Libraries as a programmer, was a School Library Media Specialist at Creekside Elementary School, and started her love of library land at North Suffolk Library in 2013-2014. Madelyn received her BA in Art History from Old Dominion University in 2013, and her Masters in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University in 2015.

Karen NelsonKAREN NELSON is SPL’s new Collection Strategy Supervisor as of August 16, 2016. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in English and received her Masters in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. She began working at Portsmouth Public Library as a Library Assistant then moved into a position as a Librarian I Assistant Branch Manager after completing her MLIS.

 


Happenings

Chesapeake Public Library

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
The Chesapeake Public Library celebrated the amazing world of comic books on May 7, 2016 during International Free Comic Book Day. Over 600 comic book lovers visited the Indian River Library where they received free comic books and participated in contests and activities.

LUCKY DAY COLLECTION 
Lucky Day Collection FlyerIn spring 2016, a new collection hopped onto the shelves when the Chesapeake Public Library introduced the Lucky Day Collection. This special collection of items allows customers to skip the wait list and locate high-interest materials on the shelves and encourage high interest browsing for visitors. The pilot program started at the Central Library and already area libraries are vying for a chance to capture a little luck of their own. Expansion of the Lucky Day Collection is currently being evaluated and may be implemented in the coming year.


In Memoriam

David RowlandDAVID ROWLAND, who was involved in opening three Virginia public libraries, and was a leader in early library promotional efforts, died July 17, 2016, at the age of 86. His first position was with the Hadley Library in Winchester. In 1965, he was hired by the then State Library of Virginia to open the Lynchburg Public Library, under the State's Library Demonstration Program. While in Lynchburg, concurrently, he briefly directed the Campbell County Public Library, which was also in its infancy as a Demonstration Library. In 1967, he was hired by the County of Henrico to develop their public library, also with Demonstration Library funding, but as an employee of the county, not the state. While with Henrico, he and Fred Glazer, then director of the Chesapeake Public Library, and later State Librarian of West Virginia for many years, started a VLA committee to offer promotional materials for public libraries. Seeing the commercial potential of this, Dave left the Henrico Public Library 1971 to direct the Hagerstown Maryland Public Library and start his own promotions company, UPSTART, which is now owned by Highsmith. He was a true visionary.

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