Monday, February 28, 2011

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Kimberly Paone, and it has been my pleasure to serve the communities of Matawan and Aberdeen as the director of the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library since September, 2010.  Now that I have been here nearly 6 months, I think it's time to start this blog and add some personal notes to our library's web presence.  I will be posting news about library materials, programs, and services, as well as library initiatives from across the region, the state, and the U.S.  I welcome any comments or questions you may have. 

A little about me:  I graduated from Rutgers with my MLS degree in 2000.  Soon after graduation, I became the Teen Services Librarian at the Elizabeth Public Library, where I worked for ten years in positions of increasing responsibility.  Before becoming director at MAPL, I supervised Elizabeth's three branch libraries and their very large teen department. 

My goals for MAPL are very much in line with the mission and vision described in our strategic plan.  The library should continue to provide materials, programs and services that the community enjoys and has come to depend upon, while also implementing new means of distributing information and keeping up with trends in technology, as well.  I want to maintain the hometown feel and friendliness of MAPL, while delivering the materials that our patrons are seeking, in new formats when possible.  Of particular interest to me at the moment are eBooks -- a hot button topic that I'll be revisiting in a future post. 

I currently live in East Brunswick with my husband and two-year-old son. 

If we haven't yet met, I'd be delighted if you'd stop by my office to say "hello" the next time you're in the library.  I look forward to becoming more involved in the community as a representative of the library, so you may see me about town at local events or meetings, as well.