We want and need to tell our world about these projects, and we needed a new manager of our Marketing and PR. We hired Anastasia Tumash, a versatile professional with over 10 years of design experience and her Master of Graphic Design from NCSU’s College of Design. Anastasia has initiated the development of a social media strategy and refinement of how advertising dollars are best spent to reach new audiences.
One of the ways we expand our reach is through Janet Forest’s creation and refinement of the Nantucket Atheneum podcast, highlighting History, Special Collections, Treasures from the Vault, and “Behind the Shelves.” If you haven’t had a listen, these treasured conversations feature library staff, and in particular reference staff from Lincoln Thurber’s team, such as Jim Borzilleri and James Grieder, who newly joined us in the Great Hall. You may recognize James’s voice from 97.7 ACK FM or have seen his writing for DayBreak Nantucket. Over the past twenty years, James has also worked in town government, as a writer for Yesterdays Island/Today’s Nantucket. James brings some great professional skills to the Atheneum.
Through the work of employees like Gillian Lewis, we grew personal outreach through home book delivery. Pamela McGrady continued to grow our physical collection of books for the adult services collection. And the whole circulation team, which also included Bea Murphy, delighted our patrons with their knowledge of books, materials and services.
And through our Weezie Library for Children, headed by Librarian Leslie Malcolm, we nurtured relationships with the schools, delivered expansive outreach to every daycare and school aged child on island, and initiated new outreach to our teen populations. The Weezie team, which includes the artistically talented Jeanne Van Etten, also continued to create amazing projects, including the ever popular story-walk and grab-and-go bags that were initiated in 2020.
Cheryl Creighton, our Operations Manager, continued shepherding the library’s English Language Learning classes and tutor/student relationships, while supporting personnel activities, organizing documents and logistics for board meetings, and with the help of our Maintenance Technician, Miguel Morocoima, ensuring care for our beautiful historic building.