The Edith B. Ford Memorial Library Board of Trustees has appointed Andrea Tillinghast as its next director.
Citing Tillinghast’s impressive tenure as a library administrator and director, along with her dynamic vision for the future of the Ford Library, Board President Lisa Brown said she is confident that the library and community will be well-served by Tillinghast.
“Ford Memorial Library is the cornerstone of our community—a place where patrons at every age and stage of life find free and equal access to information, innovative programming and opportunities for exploration and engagement,” Brown said. “Andrea not only embodies the values on which our library was built, she has the experience, enthusiasm and visionary leadership to carry us into the future.”
Tillinghast, who was appointed following an extensive nationwide search, holds a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and has worked in library leadership for more than 18 years, most recently serving as director of the Red Jacket Community Library in Shortsville.
During her impressive career, Tillinghast has worked to develop a new vision for public libraries which places the civic needs of the community at the center of the library’s mission. Her work with strategic planning is rooted in the idea that the public library is more of concept than a place; the library is more about what it does for people rather than what it has for people.
Tillinghast said community engagement will be her top priority at the Ovid library and already has plans to launch an outreach program which leverages the expertise and goals of local organizations, institutions and businesses.
“The library is part of a network of civic, educational, business, and other organizations that share common interests. My intent is to work closely with people and groups throughout the community to find new means of connecting, so we can work together to accomplish these shared goals” Tillinghast said. “This will result in a stronger, more relevant library because our mission and programming will be based, more than ever, on the needs of our community.”
Tillinghast’s tenure will officially begin June 21; however, patrons will have an opportunity to welcome her to the community during the June 1st Ford Festival celebration of the Library’s reopening.
Patrons of all ages are invited to join staff, board members and community volunteers in celebrating the Library’s post pandemic reopening during Ford Festival, Tuesday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. This free event will feature crafts and activities, a chance to sign-up for this year’s summer reading program and a much-anticipated return to in-person browsing.
The critically-acclaimed Silo Food Truck will be on site from 4 to 7 p.m., with proceeds from the sale of their award-winning chicken and macaroni and cheese benefitting library programs and services.
The library will be open, Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning June 2. State issued public health guidance will be followed.
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