Pawling Library Centennial September Honorees: Director Brian Avery
And the Directors and Librarians Who Came Before Him
By Susan Stone
The September Library Centennial Honorees are Library Director Brian Avery and the many Directors and Librarians who have been instrumental in nurturing, growing and developing the Pawling Library into the thriving public library that it is today, providing lifelong learning opportunities for community members of all ages.
Beginning with Ann Daniels, the first Librarian who helped to bring the vision of a public library in Pawling to life, to Brian Avery, current Library Director, whose expert administration and professional management provides the solid foundation upon which the Library continues to flourish, Pawling’s Library leaders have made a formidable impact on this treasured community asset.
Director Avery came to the Pawling Library in 20 16 with a wealth of experience and a Master of Science in Library and Information Sciences from Florida State University in Tallahassee. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law, Letters and Society from the University of Chicago, as well as a Master of Arts in Biblical Languages from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Like most Library Directors, he loves reading, but his passion goes deeper, as he shared, “The best part of my job is seeing people’s lives change. It could be something small like finding a series of Sci-Fi books you really love or discovering a new hobby through a library event, or it could be something big like learning English through an ESOL program or researching and training for a new career. Working at the library means you get to be a small part of a lot of people’s lives, and that can be extremely rewarding.”
However, there are many other leaders of the last 100 years whose contributions have also been noteworthy. They include: Elizabeth Taber, Constance Tirrell, Marjorie Callahan, Dorothy Pugsley, Patricia Dagata, Jennifer Simmons, Robert Reilly, Scott Jazombek, Tracy Priest, and Casey Conlan.
The Pawling Library’s 100th birthday celebration would not have been possible without the stalwart guidance and supervision of each of its gifted and committed Directors and Librarians. The Pawling community owes a debt of gratitude to each and every one.
Signage celebrating the September Honorees is available for viewing in the library throughout the month at 11 Broad Street in the village. Further information about the centennial may be found on the centennial web site at http://pawlinglibrarycentennial.com .
