Wilton Library hosts 128th Annual Meeting for Friends

Wilton Library Marks Productive Year of “Growth and Renewed Purpose” 

Wilton Library Association (WLA) was proud to host its 128th Annual Meeting for Friends on the evening of Wednesday, June 14, 2023. This brief business meeting included the election of officers, a celebration of those retiring from the WLA Board of Trustees, and a presentation of awards for the library’s outstanding Volunteer of the Year and Staff Person of the Year. The meeting concluded with a special Author Talk by popular Wiltonian thriller author Mark Rubinstein.

In his remarks regarding the fiscal year 2022-2023, Rob Sanders, President of the WLA Board of Trustees, stated that it has been an “exciting and productive year” at the library, as the organization returned to normal activities and hosted successful fundraisers including Casino Night and the Spring Gala. Sanders also highlighted the library’s Strategic Plan process which brought the library’s staff and Board of Trustees together to “really focus on what Wilton Library means to this community, how it can grow in the future, and I’m really pleased that it’s a piece of my legacy here…for the next years upcoming that we can go forward with confidence that we are serving our community and upholding our standards,” said Sanders.

Mike Boswood, Treasurer of Wilton Library Association, stated that the library has emerged in a “remarkable” financial position from the FY 22-23, despite facing

significantly increased expenses for utilities, staffing, technology, and development. He noted that the combination of the town grant, strong book sale revenue, and an excellent response to the Annual Appeal campaign bolstered revenues, as well as the “fantastic success” of the library’s Spring Gala fundraiser, which “generated more revenue than ever before.” Regarding the outlook for the coming fiscal year, Boswood said he anticipates challenges as the library aims to return to 2019 staffing levels. He concluded by praising the library’s retiring Head of Finance, Susan Taylor, for her excellent management and tracking of the library’s budget.

Caroline Mandler, Executive Director of Wilton Library, began her remarks by stating “On behalf of the staff and Board, I express our appreciation to all of our donors for your generosity which allows us to expand our programs, collections, and services, and to the Board of Selectmen for their essential support of the library through our Public-Private Partnership.” She described the FY 22-23 as “a year of both growth and renewed purpose,” as the library launched a six-month Strategic Plan process that resulted in reaffirming its “mission to inform, enrich, connect, and inspire our community” and crafting “a new vision statement centered around fulfilling the diverse needs of our changing community with an emphasis on program expansion and creating an environment where everyone is made to feel safe and welcome.”

Mandler shared a few examples of work that has already been done across the library six months into the 3-year Strategic Plan: the near completion of a project to create a website that will provide enhanced digital access to The Brubeck Collection; new research showing language diversity in Wilton is being utilized to select collection materials and languages used in the library; the diverse range of programs offered for Wilton Reads, a longstanding collaboration with Wilton Public Schools; and co-sponsoring the first Wilton Pride Festival in collaboration with Wilton Pride and 11 other community partners, an event attended by more than 400 members of the community here at the library.

Mandler also shared the statistic that out of all of the libraries in Fairfield County, Wilton Library currently has the highest percentage of town residents that have a library card, which “is a great indicator of engagement and how much the residents value the library.” She continued by recognizing the library’s staff, including longtime

Children’s librarian Lesley Keogh, who passed away in March. “Not only are they great at their jobs, they have embraced this renewed sense of purpose so we know that we’re making a difference in the community and that’s something you can feel when you walk into the building, it’s really different and special,” said Mandler.

Each year, the library acknowledges a Staff Person of the Year. In her remarks, Caroline Mandler announced that Cheryl Morgenstern, Assistant Materials Management Librarian, was selected for “her attention to detail, knowledge of resources, professional manner, and sense of humor…She is the center of gravity for the Materials Management department, staying calm amid the flurry of activity…Cheryl is also a superstar librarian at the adult reference desk” and “goes above and beyond to meet our patrons’ needs.”

Rob Sanders announced that Trustee Mike Sutka was selected as Volunteer of the Year for his contributions in leading the library’s staff and Board through the Strategic Plan process. Sanders described Sutka as “a man of diverse talents…impressive how he made the process open and welcome to everyone’s input…the retreat day that we had was just really inspiring, about what could be done in the library,” said Sanders.

During the business meeting, attendees approved the nomination of Carol Johnson as President, with the departure of Rob Sanders who is retiring from the Board of Trustees. They elected Carol Johnson, President; Marty Avallone, Vice President; Betsy Huffman, Secretary; and Mike Boswood, Treasurer for the fiscal year 2023-2024.

Trustees nominated and approved to serve continuing terms on the board are Stephanie Johns-Clark, Juliette Leavey, Jennifer Longmire, and Joe Magnano.

Retiring trustees were honored with books that were purchased for the library’s collection. The books will carry bookplates acknowledging their service as trustees. Those retiring are Connie Jo Dickerson, Tony Fouracre, Rob Sanders, and Mike Sutka.

Vice President Marty Avallone thanked Rob Sanders for his nine years of service on the WLA Board, including five years as Vice President and two years as President. He noted that Sanders’ tenure included the hiring and transition to Caroline Mandler as Executive Director, helping to shape the library’s Strategic Plan, and heading the architectural design of The Brubeck Collection. “The last three years have been

incredibly turbulent and transformative for the library and Rob led the way with a lot of hard work, motivation, expert guidance, and grace,” said Avallone.

The meeting concluded with a special Author Talk by Wiltonian author Mark Rubinstein, who presented an engaging program about the differences between the mystery and thriller genres. He spoke about their defining characteristics and how they both have been enjoyed throughout the ages. One usually doesn't think of Shakespeare as a thriller writer, but Rubinstein made the case that he was - along with Hemingway, Dostoyevsky, and other classical authors. Today, mysteries and thrillers often dominate bestseller lists and will continue to endure.  As proof: Rubinstein's latest thriller, Downfall, is getting rave reviews and winning new fans. 

For more than 128 years, Wilton Library has served as the cultural and intellectual center of Wilton with the mission to inform, enrich, connect, and inspire our community. The library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. For more information, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org or call (203) 762-3950.