The Bradford Area Public Library has faced closures, adjusted to meet COVID-19 safety precaution requirements and said goodbye to Lacey Love, the library’s executive director. Looking forward to the new year, new Executive Director Hannah Dewey hopes to focus on encouraging a love of reading in the younger generations in the area.
Dewey took over as executive director in early December. The new position came with a pre-existing hurdle, as COVID-19 has overshadowed every plan and program for 2020 since Spring.
“It’s incredibly daunting to be thrust right into some of the hardest times that librarians have faced. Everything we were taught in our studies has to be adapted on the fly. While it is stressful to adjust from the usual to something completely new and innovative, it is also incredibly rewarding to see it pay off,” Dewey said. “I know that Bradford, as well as many libraries across the state, have seen great success with virtual programming which is a programming method that many libraries hadn’t dabbled in until it was absolutely necessary.”
Once the COVID-19 restrictions can be eased, Dewey has hopes to tackle some items on her to-do list.
“I hope to reach out more to the younger adult population through starting various programs and developing our collections to include more content they would enjoy. As a younger adult myself, I have found that interest in what the library typically has to offer has a chance to wane during young adult years,” she said. “Finding what younger adults are interested in seeing in the library and adding what we can to our services and collection is something that I am greatly interested in here in Bradford.”
Dewey explained that she is also looking forward to the continuation of The Teen Book Club, as well as other young adult programming, and also the Coffee with a Curator program, run by Adult Programming and Marketing Coordinator Janelle Nolan. These programs are popular, and the Coffee with a Curator program “ties in both entertainment and education, something that I believe is directly connected to the library’s mission,” according to Dewey.
For those who are looking for something new to read for the coming year, Dewey was also happy to share a favorite series.
“One of my favorite book series is one that I am actually currently listening to on audiobook through the Seneca Library District’s OverDrive. It is The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater,” Dewey said. “It’s a wonderful Young Adult series that I’ve enjoyed since my high school days and one that I think others would enjoy as well.”
In general, 2021 will bring Dewey an opportunity to connect with her staff and work to provide programming to the area’s residents.
“I’m quite excited to work with the other staff members on programming, both virtual and in-person once we are able. I’ve had some experience with programming and love seeing new ideas, as well as the tried and true ones that the community has come to look forward to,” Dewey said.
Looking back at 2020 and the various tasks related to the pandemic, Dewey sees a chance to learn and grow. Historically, this is an area where libraries excel, and she finds this pandemic no exception.
“Learning from our experiences during this pandemic will allow libraries to continue their long history of adapting to every change that life throws at them — whether that is changes in technology, changes in society, etc.,” she stated.
