A new library director has been hired at the Stephenson Memorial Library.
Bev Pietlicki — who is the departing director at Josiah Carpenter Library in Pittsfield — has been hired to assume the role.
“I’m very impressed with Greenfield’s beautiful, charming library. It has a lot of light, it’s a nice space, and they have a function room where programs can be held,” Pietlicki said.
She said she is especially looking forward to arranging speakers, authors and bringing hands-on activities for locals to enjoy.
“I am a very program-driven librarian,” Pietlicki said.
Greenfield’s former Library Director Julie Perrin left early this year after she was hired at the Jaffrey Public Library. The position has remained vacant since Jan. 11 when Perrin took the helm in Jaffrey.
Pietlicki said she met Perrin during a conference one year. She said she was impressed with a presentation Perrin gave at the event and the two have known about one another ever since. She said Perrin may have put in a good word for her during the hiring process.
Library Trustee Chair Bruce Dodge said there are many reasons Pietlicki is a good fit for the position.
“Besides having a resume that filled all the needs, I feel in a small town library you need someone who is hands on, warm and personable,” Dodge said. “Those intangibles and others are a big part of it.”
Pietlicki said she feels fortunate that she is walking into an established position, where she can continue to carry out Perrin’s work within the community without having to start from scratch.
“I am excited to continue the legacy that Julie had started at the Greenfield library,” Pietlicki said. “I want to be a dynamic leader and continue to keep those strong relationships [Perrin] developed with various people and businesses in the community.”
She said the library where she is now needs a lot of work to its very basics, and fresh ideas could be beneficial for the town.
Another benefit is the position she currently holds is only set at 24 hours per week. The job in Greenfield would be a full-time hourly position.
The town’s proposed 2017 budget includes a $34,480 line item for the director’s salary, a slight decrease from $39,400 last year.
“The Stephenson Memorial Library has gone through an amazing transformation over the last few years and we want to keep the momentum going,” Dodge said. “Bev we feel can keep us moving in the right direction and still build in her own way on the foundation we’ve given her.”
Pietlicki said she is in the process of relocating from Pittsfield to the Monadnock region. On Tuesday, she said she is looking at a few different apartments within commuting range of Greenfield with hopes of securing a space that allows dogs. She hopes to begin her new position in Greenfield by the end of the month.
Pietlicki said her first job when she graduated college with a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire in English Teaching was in the Jaffrey-Rindge school district. Now after a number of years, a master’s in library science and many jobs in various parts of the country, she is returning to the western part of the state.
Abby Kessler can be reached at 924-7172, ext. 234 or akessler@ledgertranscript.com.