Brian Sweeney
Delmar
Occupation: Assistant professor of English at The College of Saint Rose
Question: What do you consider your most meaningful career accomplishment?
Answer: I moved to Bethlehem in 2011 to join the faculty of The College of Saint Rose, where I teach courses in American literature. I hold a doctorate in English Literature from Brown University.
At Saint Rose, I am active in institutional service and governance. I edit the college’s Journal of Undergraduate Research and have served on the Undergraduate Academic Council, Faculty Salary Committee, and Copyright Committee, as well as two national search committees.
Q. What skills do you bring to your tenure on the board?
A. I would bring to the Board of Trustees a commitment to the library grounded in my experience as an educator and researcher in the humanities, as an active member of the Bethlehem community, and as the father of two small children who visit the library with me every week.
Q. How does a library best serve its community?
A. When I was growing up, public libraries introduced me to a world of ideas, involved me in my community, and helped me discover my calling as a college educator. I believe a strong library and strong schools are the cornerstones of any community, and the excellence of the Bethlehem Library was a strong factor when choosing a place to raise my children. As a trustee, I will dedicate myself to supporting the library and those who work there as they continue their mission of enriching the cultural, professional, and intellectual lives of members of our community.
Q. What do I like best about the BPL?
A. We are fortunate to benefit from the library’s commitment to community enrichment; its strong collections in print and digital media; its packed calendar of lectures, author readings, concerts, and exhibitions. As a father, I also know first-hand the remarkable role the library plays in fostering the intellectual and creative development of children. Amelia and Gabriel have spent countless hours reading with me in the oversized chairs, doing crafts, visiting the fish tank, learning origami, and even watching chicken eggs incubate.
Q. What are the most important issues facing libraries today?
A. One challenge public libraries face today is adapting to an increasingly digital world while maintaining its investment in physical books, which remain the cornerstone of the library’s role as a democratic institution. As a trustee, I would use my voice to ensure the library maintains that important balance. I am very excited about the library’s current efforts to digitize early issues of Spotlight News and other local history documents. As co-director of a project to digitize early African American magazines in partnership with the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale, I would bring knowledge and experience in this area.
