The Board of Trustees for the Library of the Chathams has chosen Karen H. Brodsky to serve as the new director of the library.
Brodsky has served as the executive director of the Bernardsville Public Library for the past 11 years and director of the Mendham Borough Library before that. She holds a master's degree in Library Science from Rutgers University.
The announcement came Thursday, almost three months after Diane O'Brien retired from the director position. O'Brien, a resident of Chatham Township, was director of the Library of the Chathams for 32 years.
Kathleen Rex and Jay Chatterjee, both familiar faces to regular library patrons, have served as interim co-directors while the board searched for a permanent replacement.
"We are very pleased that Karen has agreed to take on this important responsibility," Fred Pocci, president of the library's Board of Trustees, said. "We are confident that Karen will bring the necessary talents and skills to lead The library into a very bright future.”
That future includes an ongoing strategic plan for the library's future and a growing catalogue of e-books and e-magazines for Kindle and iPad users.
"The library is a critical intellectual and educational resource for the two Chatham communities, and strong and vigorous leadership is the key to its success," Pocci said.
As director, Brodsky will supervise a staff of 21 employees, seven of whom have master's degrees. Besides her own master's she also holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology, also from Rutgers.
Her experience includes "all aspects of library management, including technology application, strategic planning, fundraising, reference services development, human resources and facilities management," according to a press statement released Wednesday.
Brodsky will begin her new position on Sept. 1.
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