The Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library is thrilled to announce that we have added a new librarian to our team. We’re thrilled to have the library once again fully staffed; we’ve had a vacancy since our previous director retired last April. Harolyn Hylton started at the end of January as our new public services/children’s librarian and is already shining. To borrow a term, she is “front of the house;” a hybrid of managing circulation with the help of our Circulation Coordinator Meg Donaldson; and developing the children’s collection and early literacy programming. Swing by and say hello to Harolyn!

By way of introduction, here’s my quick interview with Harolyn at the end of her second week:

Me: Harolyn, tell us where you moved here from.

Harolyn: Randolph, Massachusetts.

Me: I think the number one question I’ve gotten from people so far is, ‘How did someone from Massachusetts even find out about this opening.’ Where did you see it?

Harolyn: I’ve always wanted to move to Maine, and being in the library/bookstore field for the past 30 years, I naturally cruised the listings via the various New England library network websites.

Me: Tell me about where you’ve lived.

Harolyn: I’m originally from Jamaica, and my mom is still there, and also one of my sisters. After I graduated from high school I moved to the U.S. and lived pretty much in and around the Boston area. For three months I lived in Houston then I moved to the D.C. area where one my sisters lived. But I missed New England and came back a year later.

Me: What’s your previous work history like?

Harolyn: For the past 20 years I worked at the MIT libraries in various positions, the last five years with electronic resources in the acquisitions department. Previously, I worked in bookstores and other libraries in D.C. and in Boston.

Me: Not the big bookstore on Newbury Street?

Harolyn: It was Waterstones, yes, and some others in the suburbs. They started to fade away one after the other and I began to think I was jinxing bookstores!

Me: Tell me about your experience with children.

Harolyn: When my daughter was a toddler, we decided to home school, and I went down to working part-time and at the same time volunteered with the local library. I was on the Board of the Friends of the Library, and helped established the on-going in-library book sales. Working with the donated books I got to purchase great books for our home library. We home schooled through the end of sixth grade and I truly enjoyed every minute of it; being a teacher and being able to develop the curriculum to match your child’s pace was really a great experience. I loved too that I was a catechist for over 10 years, teaching kids from first to ninth grade. It was fun and at the same time challenging to experience the various ways kids learn in group settings, and all the various dynamics that each child brought to class. My hat’s off to all the teachers out there!  However, before all of that, I was always the aunt who bought books for my nieces and nephew, especially when I worked in bookstores and always got the latest, funniest books, something they looked forward to.

Me: What drew you to Midcoast Maine?

Harolyn: Wow, what’s not to draw you to it! I seriously have been dreaming of the Maine coast for a long time. So I can’t even answer that question, it’s almost like I should just be here. I like the straightforwardness of the people, and the fierceness and calm that the landscape can inspire in you.

Upcoming events

* Refreshing the Whodunit: The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King | Join this facilitated book discussion to explore the mystery genre with fellow readers. Saturday, Feb. 10, 10:30 a.m. Read more: https://bbhlibrary.org/refreshing-the-whodunit/

* February Artist of the Month: Sandy Harper oils on display in the upstairs Community Room.

* Minecraft Play Club: Wednesdays, 2-3 p.m. Minecraft Club will not meet during school vacation week.

* Friday Story Hour: Hear a story, make a craft, and sing a song with Miss Pam and Miss Harolyn. 10:15 a.m., ages birth to 5.

* Monday Night Book Club: Anna Karenina, Monday Feb. 12, 7 p.m.