It’s hard to believe it has already been a full year since I started my tenure as Director of the Brewster Ladies’ Library. I wish I could say that things went exactly as I expected and planned, but, as I’m sure everyone knows, things rarely turn out that way. The year was filled with newness, change, and lots of surprises. At different times, I found myself wading knee-deep in a flooded parking lot, convincing my sometimes grumpy now-husband to march in the Brewster in Bloom parade, manning a busy checkout table during the summer book sale, navigating staff turnover, introducing the captivating Geraldine Brooks at the Nickerson Speaker Event, planning a wedding and a honeymoon, driving to Keene, NH to pick up shelving, experiencing my first snow storm at the BLL, and so much more.
I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the hard-working and impressively creative staff, for the support and guidance of the dedicated BLLA Board, for the generous and invaluable work of the army of BLL volunteers, and for the always collaborative and helpful staff of the Town of Brewster. Although this first year has been full of change for all involved, the BLL team still provided the highest quality customer service, reference help, resources, programming, and atmosphere that Brewster patrons have come to know and love. In addition to BLL staples, staff worked tirelessly to provide even more to the Brewster community over the past 12 months.
We navigated a new computer system, created two new Confidential Corners to provide better access to information on sensitive topics, introduced Creativebug as a new database for crafting, digitized the Library’s historic archival materials, joined the Library Speakers Consortium to provide more virtual programming with well known authors, developed more outreach opportunities with initiatives like Non-Profit Table hours and visits to Maplewood Senior Living, introduced a second wildly popular storytime specifically for children ages 0-2, recognized a need for and organized grief-related programming, and sought to bring teens into the Library with the innovative Youth Artist Fellow Program and Student Ambassador Program.
Furthermore, the commitment of the BLLA and of the BLL volunteers brought compelling speakers to the Library through the Discovery and Enrichment classes, welcomed hundreds of people to the annual book sale, the primary fundraising event each year, donated to families in need through the Holiday Giving Tree initiative, awarded academic scholarships to two local teens, and helped develop a new building plan after plans for a major renovation were abandoned. It is a testament to the resilience and strength of the BLL that, in the midst of institutional change, the BLL continues to provide an indispensable and thriving community center for its patrons and I am excited to jump into my second year here.
