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Spring Newsletter 
2014 March, April & May
In This Issue
Meet our New Director
LTAI: Muslim Journeys
BML Welcomes Two New Board of Trustees

 

Gifts to the Library 

December, January, February

 

In Memory of

  

Dal Barber

Catherine & David Combs 

  

Dennis Robert Andrews

Bobby & Gail Thompson

   

Jean Bishop

Bobby & Gail Thompson

  

Foy Bradshaw

Bobby & Gail Thompson

  

George Burton

Joyce Silver

  

Tommy Cliett

Bobby & Gail Thompson 

   

Beverly Batchelor Cooper

Catherine & David Combs

Bobby & Gail Thompson

 

Robert W. Daughtridge

Bobby & Gail Thompson

 

Marion Meads Gallop

Mrs. Linda Amerson

Dr. & Mrs. Carl Purvis

Bobby & Gail Thompson

 

Rena Clark Harris

Bobby & Gail Thompson

 

Jeannine Brake Hicks

Mrs. Melissa P. Malone

 

Jane Jernigan

Catherine & David Combs

 

Sally Kirkwood

Worthwhile Study Club

 

Dr. Gaylord Lehman

Mrs. Bob Siler

Bobby & Gail Thompson

Jessica Williams, Duane Williams, & Family

 

Richard Lucas

Catherine & David Combs

 

Stanley Alan Moore

Catherine & David Combs

 

Edgar Penny

Catherine & David Combs

 

Jimmie C. Rooks

Mr. Garry R. Rooks

 

Craig Steven Smith

Barbara Baker Smith

 

Francis Wade

Jessica Williams & Family

 

Will Williams lll

Bobby & Gail Thompson

 

  

In Honor of

 

Mary Louise Baker

Barbara B. Smith

 

Mayor David Combs

Twentieth Century Study Club

 

Terrance J

Lisa Gonzalez

 

Steve Raper

Win-Thorne Garden Cub

 

Mr. Russell Rouse

Steven & Brenda Thibodeau

 

Gifts to the Library

Mr. & Mrs. Wade & Janice Mayberry

 

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     Meet Our New Director

 

Braswell Memorial Library welcomes Catherine Roche as the new Director of Library Services. Her most recent position was Director of Robeson County Library, but she has a wide variety of work experiences that have shaped her career. Catherine says, "I have three major chapters to my adult life. First I was a stay-at-home mom to my two children. I worked a variety of evening and part-time jobs to stretch the budget, but taking care of the boys came first. Later, I took a customer service job with a blueprinting company that led to becoming a small business owner. I bought my shop just as the industry was switching from 1940's diazo printing technology to digital wide-format production printers." She compares the digital transformation of the reprographic industry to the conversion of reference materials and card catalogs in libraries to online databases and computer catalogs. "My third chapter began," she continues, "when my boys were heading off to college. I realized that small business is, well, small. I wanted a bigger world. I began looking for opportunities to use the skills that I developed as a business owner and I wanted work that is interesting and compelling. Libraries bring together people, technology and information. That was the draw for me."

Catherine earned her Master's in Library and Information Studies at the University of Greensboro in 2006. She has worked for large urban libraries including Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system and Central Piedmont Community College and small rural community libraries in both Moore and Robeson Counties. Talking about her experience, Catherine recalls, "I worked at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library as a Floating Librarian and my job took me to almost all of their 24 branches. I worked in every department, checking books in and out, providing assistance at the information counter, helping individuals in the computer lab, and manning the children's services desk. I also had plenty of turns pushing a loaded book truck out into the shelves to put up books. At the time, I thought I had one of the worst jobs in the system, but later I realized that I had learned more than I ever could have if I had worked in only one department." She feels that library work is community centered and should be focused to answer the needs and interests of people in the community.

"I am very fortunate to have this opportunity. Braswell Memorial is an outstanding facility. It is one of the nicest public libraries in the state of North Carolina." Catherine plans to make her home in Rocky Mount with her husband Mike and Isabel the cat.

 

  LTAI: Muslim Journeys/American Stories
  

The National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with American Library Association and Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies, George Mason University is providing the Let's Talk About It Series of Muslim Journeys/ American Stories.

Kambiz GhaneaBassiri of Reed College writes the following as an explanation for the LTAI book selection for this series.

 "The books in the American Stories section of Muslim Journeys do not aim to provide a comprehensive representation of American Muslims. The American Muslim population is too diverse for that. Not only are Muslims from every corner of the globe present in the United States, there are also movements established in the name of Islam that originated in this country. No single set of books could embrace the full breadth of this rich experience. Nonetheless, the five books listed here provide a framework for approaching the stories of American Muslims with an eye toward their diversity and their involvement in the larger story of America itself."

The Let's Talk About It Series for Braswell Memorial Library will start March 6th and continue every other Thursday night until May 1st.

 

 BML Welcomes Two New Board of Trustees
 
Library Trustees are appointed by Nash County, the City of Rocky Mount, and Edgecombe County for specified terms. These community leaders volunteer their time and efforts to the library for the betterment of the community and their fellow citizens. As their terms expire, the bodies they represent appoint new members thus insuring a wide range of community input to the governance of the public library.

It is with regret we announce the stepping down from the Library Board of Trustees of Catherine Combs and Christopher McPhatter. Their terms have expired and both will be truly missed. Not only for their passionate support of the library, but for their advice and counsel. Ms. Combs in particular, by serving as a past Chair of the Library Board, has given selflessly of her time and energy. We wish them both well in their future endeavors and know they will continue to be advocates for the library.

 

Assuming the empty seats on the Board of Trustees:

 

Linda S. Hardy is a retired former school media coordinator in the Nash-Rocky Mount School system. She is a graduate of North Carolina Wesleyan College and holds Master's Degrees in both Education and Library Science from East Carolina University. A 43 year resident of Rocky Mount, Ms. Hardy is very active in several local organizations. Ms. Hardy was appointed to the Library Board of Trustees by Nash County.

 

Carol E. Ludwig is a retired attorney and U.S. Air Force Officer. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, has a Master's Degree in Education from Mississippi State University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas. She served for 24 years in the Air Force where she served in various roles. A resident of Rocky Mount for 14 years, Ms. Ludwig was appointed to the Library Board of Trustees by the City of Rocky Mount.

 

We welcome both our new trustees and look forward to working with them for a better Braswell Memorial Public Library!

 

 

Upcoming Events

March 7Champagne & Chocolates at 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Braswell Memorial Library will host it's 2nd Job Fair April 16, 2014 11am - 1pm

Upcoming Closing
Close early for Champagne & Chocolate on March 7th at 2pm 

Closed for Easter April 21st

Closed for Memorial Day, May 26th
We hope you enjoyed this email edition of the newsletter. As always, we invite you to visit us at 727 North Grace Street to "check out" all of the services and resources available to you.
 
Sincerely,
 
Gloria Sutton
Braswell Memorial Library

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