OUR PEOPLE
The Stonington Free Library is known for its friendly, welcoming and helpful staff. We are always here to greet you and connect you with collections, expertise, services, and programs both in the Library and throughout the community. Please stop by and see us!
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
I joined the Stonington Free Library team in 2012 when I was hired as a part-time assistant to Maris Frey, Director of Youth Services. This was the first step in my library career having just graduated with my MLIS from the University of Rhode Island. I had previously worked at the Visual Resources Library in the Fine Arts Dept. of URI and interned at both Groton Public Library and the Linda Lear Center for Special Collections & Archives at Connecticut College. In 2014, I was offered a full-time position at SFL and began splitting my time between Youth Services and Adult Services. I became Assistant Director in March 2016, and in January 2021, I was appointed as Director. Throughout my many roles over the years, I have always truly enjoyed serving this wonderful community.
I grew up working in my family’s small business, then went on to study English and German at Connecticut College. As a self-described “professional library patron,” I jumped at the chance to work part-time at the Bill Memorial Library in the City of Groton in 2013. This experience inspired me to begin graduate studies in library science.
Since then, I have worked in children’s services and been a coordinator for the Connecticut Library Consortium. A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to start working one day per week at SFL. All this time I had been pursuing my Master’s degree, and in December, 2020 I successfully completed an MLIS through San Jose State University. I am honored to bring my education and experience to the dynamic SFL team of staff and board members.
Born in England I have lived in Stonington for nearly forty years. My husband is a naval historian and author and we have three grown children and three grandsons. I have worked at the Library for over thirty years as part-time circulation staff, Assistant Director, Interim Acting Director, Director and now, after retirement Director Emeritus.
In May 2013, I joined the Stonington Free Library as a Youth Services Assistant. After years of teaching, I enjoy fostering a love of reading in young children. I have lived in Southeastern Connecticut for 35 years, and love living near the ocean. I have B.A. in History from Syracuse University and a M.A.T. from Sacred Heart University.
I remember developing a strong love for libraries when my mom would ask that I check out Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books from my elementary school library. With each book we read together her broken English would improve along with my fluency. My mom’s love of reading is what I hoped I would pass on to my own children. We spent many hours in the Children’s Reading Room at the Stonington Free Library picking out stacks of books, making crafts, and participating in the summer reading program. After raising my family, I am eager to be a part of an institution that has given me so much already.
Experienced Fundraiser, Administrator, and Theater Producer with a demonstrated history of working in the public and non-profit sectors. Focused on the arts and entertainment industry as well as environmental issues. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Theater, Event Management, Fundraising, and Performing Arts. Graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Marine/Urban Affairs and the Commercial Theater Institute’s 14-week producing program in NYC, nominated by Tony-Award winning Producer Tom Viertel.
Karen is a library media paraprofessional at Stonington Public Schools. She has worked in early childhood education for over twenty years. She is a writer actively seeking publication, a member of two local critique groups, and belongs to an international writing organization. Karen started working at Stonington Free Library in 2019.
After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in English, I knew that I wanted to pursue something in the realm of literature. As a child, I would frequent my local library often, especially during the summertime. The library was truly where I discovered my love for reading. Since then, I have been an avid reader of a variety of different genres such as fantasy, romance, and young adult fiction, but my favorite is definitely horror! I am also an aspiring author, currently working on a vampire/fantasy novel. Outside of the library, you will find me making candles or riding my bike in the forest.
I’ve never considered myself to be a bookworm, but I have always been fascinated by the art of storytelling. In their own way, stories allow us to connect with one another, immerse ourselves into new and exciting worlds, and allow us to view the world through a different set of eyes. As a library assistant, my goal is to share my passion for literature and stories while encouraging our patrons to explore new avenues and to keep an open mind.
It took far longer than it should have for me to realize I wanted to work in a library. I’ve loved reading and visiting libraries since even before I learned how to read, and as an adult they have been a refuge for information, entertainment, and quiet study. I am currently enrolled in the Library Technology Certificate at Three Rivers Community College. It’s wonderful to work in the library I grew up attending. I love to read cozy mysteries, graphic novels, sci fi and fantasy, and young adult novels.
After working for nearly a decade in bookstores, I decided to change careers slightly and become a librarian. Then after getting my MLIS from Simmons University in Boston, I worked for public libraries in my home state of Pennsylvania and then Rhode Island before starting at the Stonington Free Library in late 2021. I love all things horror and otherworldly, and sometimes buy books just because I like their covers.
I think an appreciation for libraries is just part of my genetic code! My beloved grandmother Bettie was the children’s librarian in Stonington for many years so from a very young age libraries felt like an extension of home. I have always been fascinated with the beauty of the physical spaces of libraries and the crucial role they serve in communities; Stonington is no exception. To date I have worked mostly in the nonprofit sector for Save The Bay, The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and ReSOURCE, VT to name a few. I attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison and received a degree in Political Science while rowing Division I crew as a freshman. My time in Madison was formative, acquiring skills for community organizing and advocacy that have served me well both personally and professionally. At present, I co-own and operate a small screen printing and design company with my partner Morgan King. With an eye for detail, my passion is to bring community members together in creative ways and reimagine uses for underutilized places and spaces. I am an ardent learner and thoughtful listener. I love running, gardening and laughing at the antics of my joyful son Milo.
Libraries have been part of my life from childhood to adulthood. As a Mom raising my three boys, the library was part of their lives as well. It was a fun place both for them and for me too. It was a place where my boys were actually quiet for more than an hour! Now, being a part of the Stonington Free Library as a Library Assistant is a way for me to “pay it forward” both to the people coming into the library and the general community as well. I so much enjoy being a part of the SFL team. My co-workers are terrific and I look forward to seeing you when you come by!
Claire Morgan recently graduated from Smith College with a BA in English Language and Literature. She is hoping to follow her mother, who once worked at Stonington Free Library, into a career in Library Science. She is glad to have found a position near her hometown where she can gain some practical experience as she works toward her MLIS. She loves to read, especially fantasy, though she has yet to develop a taste for poetry. She is always on the lookout for new graphic novels, so if you’ve recently read a good one please stop at the front desk and tell her about it!
I attended Colgate University for undergrad as a Philosophy & Religion major, Creative Writing minor, and received a graduate certificate from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Audio and Multimedia. Currently I’m studying to become a death doula. I’ve worked a wide variety of jobs since receiving my Bachelor’s, which has allowed me to connect with so many amazing people and learn about different ways of living and thinking through hands-on experience. I am a poet, documentarian, multimedia artist, dog walker, art model, photographer, barista, editor, musician, and my friends’ favorite armchair therapist. I love rainbow sprinkles, moss, social justice and fireflies on summer nights. I love finding a good tree to climb or a spontaneous midnight ocean dip. I have two bearded dragons, Zorro and Zuri, who are the silliest little dinosaurs. I am a perpetual student, idea hoarder, collector and connector. In everything I do, my goal is to cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity.
I grew up going to my local library in Gales Ferry, spending hours pulling books, movies, and albums off the shelf to read their descriptions. I was that kid sitting on the floor next to a giant pile as tall as I was, about to check out way more things than I could possibly go through in a couple weeks. I think I listened to the book on tape of “Number the Stars” about fifty times. While my sisters were playing in our front yard as kids, more often than not I could be found on the swingset, head down and so fully entranced by a book to the point that I couldn’t hear my mom call my name to come back inside. My childhood was filled with opportunities that both satiated and encouraged my curiosity and thirst for knowledge. I feel lucky that I’m able to facilitate that for others here at SFL.
I believe libraries are much more than books. They are a beacon of community and accessibility, providing a safe space for anyone who comes in. They are the opposite of gate-keeping. They are proof that physical spaces and tangible resources, along with human interaction, are still vital parts of the human experience. After a year of working in the Teen Space at Westerly Library, I’m excited and honored to be a part of the SFL team. I hope to start an MLIS program in the next year! I love connecting with all our patrons, swapping stories and knowledge, and working with such a warm, kind group of humans.
Board of Trustees
Kevin Bowdler, President
Betsy Bowman, Vice-President and Treasurer
Diana Beck, Secretary
Ann Baldelli
Marggie Blake
Kathryn Brandl
Will Dittman
Denise Easton
Jean Fiore
Mike Fontana
William Griffith
Jocelyn Kepple
Julie Quinn
