The St. Helens Public Library will soon welcome a new director to its staff after former Library Director Margaret Jeffries retired in January 2022. Suzanne Bishop, MSLIS, will start work on June 15, 2022.
Bishop brings two decades of library experience and a full career in public service to St. Helens. Her most recent job is as youth services manager in the Alexandria Public Library system in Virginia. She has worked for libraries at Virginia public and private schools and at the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks. She has a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University. Bishop also has ties to the Pacific Northwest. She attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland and is very happy to be returning to the area.
“St. Helens Public Library is a vibrant place with staff who are doing innovative programming,” said Bishop. “I come from an urban library system where things like the St. Helens Public Library’s Makerspace and the Library of Things aren’t being done yet. I’m also attracted to St. Helens, which reminds me of Fairbanks, Alaska, where I raised my children and became a librarian. I am also really looking forward to working with the strengths of a smaller library – they can pivot so quickly when they see a need.”
Bishop is passionate about public libraries. She considers them the community’s living room and has extensive experience fundraising for libraries and other community organizations. During her career, she has developed collaborations between local government and community partners and worked closely with local officials to develop a strategic plan for public schools.
Bishop’s first goal in St. Helens is to get to know the community and support the library staff in the great work that they are already doing. “The solid complement of services and programs, Makerspace, and the Library of Things are a great foundation to build on,” said Bishop.
As she establishes herself professionally in the community, you may also find Bishop exploring the recreational opportunities in our region. She is an avid birder and hiker, and her daughter will be attending Oregon State University this fall.
Bishop’s longer-term goal is to ensure the St. Helens Public Library remains relevant to the community. “Libraries are evolving as our citizens’ ways of engaging with learning and entertainment shift,” said Bishop. “The pandemic taught us that we will best serve the community when we interact with our patrons in many different ways in the library and out in the community.”
Original source can be found here.
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