Kyle Neugebauer, currently the adult services librarian at the Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook, has been tapped to be the new director of the Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth.
Town Manager Michael McGovern announced the appointment last week and said Neugebauer would begin work on Jan. 13, although his post as library director would not be official until Jan. 23, after director Jay Scherma retires.
In a press release McGovern said, “January will be an exciting month as we will have Jay’s retirement, the beginning of Kyle’s tenure and the transition to our new library facility.”
The town library is undergoing a $4 million renovation and upgrade project and is on track to re-open to the public in early February.
Meanwhile, curtailed library services have been offered at the former Spurwink School, which is adjacent to the library. However, both locations will be closed throughout January as staff makes the transition into the new building.
Library patrons, though, are welcome at both the Scarborough and South Portland public libraries in the interim.
Walker Memorial Library hired Neugebauer two years ago and prior to that he was director of the Algona Public Library in Algona, Iowa. He has a bachelor’s degree from Northland College and a master’s degree in library science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Neugebauer lives in Waterboro and although he is a mid-westerner, growing up in Kansas City and attending college in northern Wisconsin, he was “drawn to Maine because of its natural beauty and the potential for new opportunities.”
This week he spoke with the Current about his love for libraries and his goals for the new Cape library.
Q: Why did you want to earn a degree in library sciences?
A: I was a fairly normal undergraduate student, in that I was pretty unsure what I wanted to do with my life when I started college. I changed my major a few times, but the one thing that was constant was my work-study job in the campus library.
I really enjoyed the work there and since it was a smaller college it was easy to get to know the librarians. Since I showed an interest they would give me additional projects to work on. The more I worked in the library the more I enjoyed it, and I began to think that it would make a good career for me, especially since I enjoy learning new things.
The great thing about being a librarian is that you don’t have to pick just one subject area to learn about – you are able to pursue knowledge in a wide range of fields. After I finished my undergraduate degree, I got a full-time job in a library and decided that this is what I wanted to do with my life.
Q: What do you most enjoy about running a library?
A: I really enjoy being able to help guide the library. As the director, I’m constantly looking at the bigger picture of the organization and how we fit into the community at large. It’s also great to work with the library staff and help make all of the wonderful things each one of them are doing in their own parts of the library a success and then make all of the awesome things fit together into the bigger-picture mission of the library.
Q: Are libraries still relevant in the digital age?
A: Absolutely. The role of libraries may be changing, but that’s what makes them so exciting to be a part of right now. Libraries can act as a trail guide to help navigate the flood of information that’s currently available online and other places.
We can help sift through all of it and come back with exactly what it is you’re looking for – not what some computer algorithm thinks you might want. Libraries are also becoming wonderful places for a community to make connections.
In our fast-paced and digitally connected world, making local and community connections sometimes gets forgotten. Libraries are able to offer a safe and welcoming environment for all community members to come together to try new things, meet new people, explore different topics or just enjoy themselves.
Q: Why did you apply for the position as director of the Thomas Memorial Library?
A: It was a very appealing job for me. I love the Cape Elizabeth area. I have been to its parks and coast frequently when I’m hiking, bird watching or taking pictures.
It’s also a nice size community – large enough to offer wonderful facilities and services, but yet small enough that there is still a strong community bond.
It is a town that definitely has its own flavor. Also, the thought of being able to help shape library services in a beautiful new building is very, very exciting.
Q: Do you have any ideas for new programming or offerings?
A: There are a lot of great ideas floating around in my head. However, I really want to get to know the library staff and what they are already doing, plus the needs of the community as a whole before I start to put my own ideas out there.
I want to make sure that any ideas I bring forth are a good match for the library and the community. I’m going to be holding a lot of conversations with the library staff, library board and the people of Cape Elizabeth to make sure of just that.
I’m just really excited to get started. Jay Scherma (the current director) has worked very hard to get the library into a solid place and I’m excited to help the library become even better.
Q: What qualities make a good library?
A: A great library is a place that everyone in the community feels safe and welcome. It’s somewhere that new ideas can be explored, whether that idea is something a patron wants to explore for personal growth or a new community program a staff member wants to try. Overall, the library is a place to try out ideas and grow as an individual and as a community.
Kyle Neugebauer is slated to become the new director of the Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth in mid-January.Send questions/comments to the editors.
