In her years as a library director, Evelyn Neale said the best part of the job is her constantly changing days.
“Every day you work, and there’s a different challenge. Whether it be you’re working on the budget, or you’re developing a new service, or you’re doing a building project,” said Neale. “So every day is different.”
Neale has shaped a long career in library work. She began at State University of New York At Stony Brook as a student assistant in the university’s library, before winding up as a tech assistant in a middle school library on Long Island.
Now, years later, Neale has been chosen as the William K. Sanford Library’s new director. She replaced Richard Naylor, who recently retired after 31 years, seven of those as the town library’s director.
Neale’s first day on the job was Monday, June 29, and after a little over three weeks, she said she couldn’t be happier to see the community support for the library. Nearly each day, she said people stop her to say hello, introduce themselves and recommend a book.
“I’m excited about the potential of what we can do together,” said Neale.
After working for eight years in Long Island libraries, Neale moved upstate with her family, first as director of the Mechanicville Public Library, then moving to East Greenbush as the director before ending up in Colonie. In between, she worked at the New York’s Libraries Information Network developing programs for libraries, and as a children and young adult librarian, as well as providing more technology assistance.
And if there is one thing Neale feels strongly about, it’s the programs. Whether it be sessions on how to use technology, to save money for children’s college education, or to plant a garden, she said the programs and services make libraries what they are.
“It’s about books, it’s about community services and public service, and it’s about technology. We’re the help center,” Neale said.
Despite the many people who say libraries are dying due to technology and electronic books, Neale said if anything, libraries are becoming more valid. Oftentimes, the libraries are the ones teaching community members about the latest technology available, and are even sometimes the ones to get the technology first.
At the William K. Sanford Library, weekly lessons on computer basics and Microsoft programs are taught, but Neale said she would like to see even more community involvement at the library.
“We serve 85,000 people, and just by the nature of our location, we’re really focused on one part of the Town of Colonie, so I feel like we can get out into other parts of the town, see what people are looking for in their library,” said Neale.
She said she wanted to see some services changed up to suit even more people in the community. Most people, she said, view libraries with some fondness, whether it be memories of childhood programs, or taking their own children to reading circles, but many are unaware of all the services libraries provide.
Given the variety of people that walk through the building’s doors, everyone often presents a different need, so Neale said it was her main goal to help anyone who comes to the library.
“Nobody goes into this profession for the money,” she said. “It’s for the passion of what we do. And part of that passion is a love for books. It’s a love for stories, whether they’re real for fiction. It’s a true affinity for every character.”
