New Staff Joins East Central Regional Library

Director Barbara Misselt recently announced the addition of two new staff members to the Headquarters staff of East Central Regional Library.   Carla Lydon was named the new Assistant Director and Shelly Anderson was named new Administrative Services Manager.

Carla assumes the Assistant Director position for Nick Dimassis, who left in December for a new position as director of the Carver County library system.  Carla was most recently the Chisago Lakes Branch Librarian, a position she held since June 2008.  Carla worked with several community support groups and developed a thriving volunteer program.  As ECRL Assistant Director she will lead and supervise ECRL’s 14 branch libraries located in the counties of Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine.  Carla will also share administrative duties and be part of ECRL’s regional library management team as well as representing ECRL on various statewide committees.

Carla has demonstrated a long commitment to libraries and achieved a broad portfolio in providing information in a variety of libraries throughout the years.  She started out as a Page at the Howard Miller Public Library in Zeeland, MI.  While pursuing her undergraduate degree in mathematics, she worked at the Van Wylen Library Hope College in Holland, MI.  She received her Master of Library and Information Science degree at the University of South Carolina. 

With her new degree in hand she worked as a Children’s Librarian at Charleston County Public Library in South Carolina and as a media specialist for Charleston Public Schools before coming to Minnesota.  In Carla’s vision for public libraries, she sees the library as a physical space, a community gathering place, a technology center and information center.  Carla and her husband, Dan, live in Lindstrom, MN.

Shelly Anderson became the new Administrative Services Manager following Shari Wilcox who retired after 38 years in the position this past December.  Shelly comes to us with numerous bookkeeping and accounting experience.  As the new Administrative Services Manager, Shelly will oversee the financial operation of ECRL’s 3 million dollar budget.  Shelly lives in Rush City with her husband, David, and her family. 

Grand Marshals

Both outgoing and incoming Pine City Branch Librarians were honored on Saturday, August 6 as they served as Grand Marshals in the Pine City Parade.

Retiring Librarian
(on the left), Christy Koch and new librarian (on the right ), Sarah Biro, led the parade on this gorgeous Saturday.

Christy retired after 17 years of service as Pine City's Branch Librarian.  Sarah Biro started as the new Pine City Branch Librarian in early July. 

(Photo courtesy of Pine City Pioneer)

Vickie Sorn
Youth & Community Services Librarian

New Rush City Branch Librarian Named

“People who subscribe to a personal philosophy of ‘living to learn’ have, I think, a natural affinity for the library, “says the new Rush City Branch Librarian, Donna Larson. Donna, who recently accepted the position in Rush City, previously worked at the Princeton Area Library, so she is familiar with the East Central Regional Library system. Being with and serving people who want to and love to learn is her favorite part of working at the library. Witnessing that sense of desire and anticipation when a customer comes into the library is invigorating.

Donna’s love of reading started early in her life. Being somewhat of an insomniac, Donna found that reading novels at night helped her sleep. Reading books helped direct her mind away from the activities of the day and allowed her to vicariously experience other people’s lives and experience the world from its pages.

Donna hopes to become more acquainted with the Rush City community and ascertain how the library can best serve its patrons. She is eager to become involved in the children’s storytime, summer reading activities and other library events. As she starts her new position, Donna is also excited about working with the Rush City Friends of the Library and developing a larger volunteer base to benefit the library.

Donna hopes to use her overriding enthusiasm plus all the tools the library has to offer including its collection and its network of people to best serve the community. So be careful, she might just infect you with her enthusiasm. Donna believes as Charles “Tremendous” Jones once said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today but for the people you meet and the books you read.”

Stop by the Rush City Public Library and take a moment to meet Donna and check out something from the library. Who knows….you might just be a different person the next time you come back to visit.

Vickie Sorn, Youth & Community Services Librarian
Press Release

New faces

Welcome to Julie and Frances, who will be working in the public services area of the Cambridge Branch of East Central Regional Library

Barbara Misselt, Director