Village Library in Morgantown welcomes new director Natasha Donaldson, who started on Feb. 9.
She “developed a love for books and libraries at a young age,” Donaldson wrote to Tri County Record.
Donaldson volunteered at her local library while attending high school in Paraguay. Having grown up in South America, she is fluent in both English and Spanish. She is coming to the Village Library from a position with the Reading Area Community College Upward Bound Program. She was a volunteer at Village Library.
“So we were familiar with Natasha. We were familiar with her personality and demeanor,” said Village Library Board of Directors President Mary Ellen Mahan. “She’s been welcomed with open arms by everybody.”
During the selection process, the board placed ads through the Pennsylvania Library Association, on professional trade journals and posted on social media, receiving resumes from people in several different states. They also told people in the Morgantown area.
“Our desire was to find someone who was qualified to fill the role and who we were familiar with if possible and also to support the municipalities that historically supported us,” she said.
There were about a dozen candidates.
“Not all of them were qualified. We went through an initial weeding process based upon those who had professional qualifications, prior library experience and/or familiarity with libraries. Ultimately, we chose Natasha,” said Mahan.
“We had decided on what the criteria was for our new librarian. Candidly, we wanted to take the best of both worlds of our prior librarians,” said Mahan. “We had people that were extraordinarily efficient and disciplined. We had folks that were extremely great with interaction with the community. We wanted somebody who was a balance of those two.”
The board authorized Mahan to select the candidates to be interviewed. She interviewed the candidates and provided feedback to the board who then ranked the candidates in order. The board also solicited input from the Berks County Library System. Final recommendation was made by Mahan and Lyn Miller, President of the Friends of the Village Library. The board agreed and they hired Donaldson.
Wanting to have a seamless transition, Mahan said the staff interviewed Donaldson and “staff provided input to her in terms of things they think work well and those things they think we can change now that we are bringing somebody new on.”
One of the things the board was looking for in the new library director was someone who would question everything, every policy, she said.
“Go stir up what people think of the library, we’re not just a place for people to come borrow books,” said Mahan. “We provide a community center where we encourage programming. Candidly, it can be used for anything. I teach fitness classes.”
Activities and groups include Bridge Club. Lego Club, storytimes, and programs.
“We’d like to be more responsive to what the community needs,” said Mahan.
Donaldson encourages the community to feel free to stop by the library to meet her.
“Bring along your library card, and see what the Village Library has to offer you.”
“The Village Library is committed to serving the needs of the community, regularly expanding its collection with new books, DVD’s, and TV series. Monthly programs for adults include yoga, fitness, and Spanish as a Second Language. A large number of children’s programs are also offered,” writes Donaldson.
Check out www.villagelibrary.org for an online library catalog, as well as event and program details.
