By Meghan Peterson, Ph.D.
Located at 920 Saybrook Road (Rt. 154) in Haddam, the Brainerd Memorial Library provides a variety of adult, adolescent, family, and children’s literary resources, educational programming, and cultural arts events. As such, it serves as a dynamic hub for people to learn, gather and experience community together. We recently contacted Tom Piezzo, Director of the Brainerd Memorial Library here in Haddam, to speak more about the role BML plays in the lives of Haddam (as well as surrounding area) residents and library patrons.
How did you come to call Haddam Brainerd Memorial Library your home?
Piezzo: In 2016 I was fortunate to be interviewed for the position of library director, which led me to reflect on my professional priorities as I presented to the board of trustees. In Haddam I found a near-ideal combination of rural and village, of an historic library with a progressive governing board and staff, a library which is part of an excellent consortium but retains its local identity. When I was offered the job I knew we had a firm foundation on which to serve today, and build for coming generations.
What is your biographical as well as professional background?
Piezzo: I have a degree in English and was for a short time a teacher on Long Island, but changed directions early on. In December 1993 I received my Masters in Library and Information Science, and started as a librarian in Queens, New York City. I eventually became the Branch Library Manager in a series of larger and busier libraries, until 2004 when I moved to Connecticut. I worked at home as a custom cabinetry and furniture design draftsman, while also staying in the library field along the shoreline, until resuming an administrative role in Haddam. I am presently a member of the LION consortium Finance Committee, chair of the Valley-Shore Public Library Directors Roundtable, and am the Vice President/President-elect of the Connecticut Library Association.
How do you see your role not only at the library but in the community?
Piezzo: The library’s role is to identify community needs, typically informational, cultural, social, and recreational, and then meet them with our resources in whatever formats and methods we can. In the library that means seeking to balance the work of our excellent staff, our supportive Friends group, and the active board of trustees. We also stay abreast of local and national trends and issues, assessing which ones could or should play out locally. Being a busy hub for the community, we offer many services available uniquely from our institution, and strive both to publicize our offerings, and also respond to requests. Sometimes that takes the form of support for area organizations and departments, other times, it means a new partnership. Most often it is simply being an open and accessible place where everyone can count on respect and inclusion regardless of their economic status, age, ethnicity, identity, beliefs or education.
What are some of your favorite aspects of your job?
Piezzo: Watching the myriad children attend programs: singing, reading, crafting, interacting. Seeing someone come for tech help with a troubled expression and leave confident and happy. Hearing “yes!” when a patron finds the perfect book. Seeing the seats fill at a concert — for free. As I say time and again, I get to work where people come to learn, connect, pursue leisure and culture, and enjoy themselves. We measure our success by how much we give, not take. That’s a pretty good gig.
What are some goals/objectives/vision(s) you have for the library?
Piezzo: I’d love to see our plans for renovating the library come to fruition in the next few years. We are very close to starting the first phase, which will create 17 new parking spaces, upgrade exterior lighting, improve the rest rooms, and importantly, make a truly accessible lower level entrance. But as the way libraries are used has changed drastically since our 1996 renovation, we need to make a more efficient apportionment of interior space by re-thinking the main desk, installing small study rooms, restoring the original 1906 History Rooms, lowering the stacks, formalizing a dedicated teen and tween space, and re-working the children’s library. Down the road, more hours of service would be a welcome bonus.
Any other thoughts to share with residents, patrons?
Piezzo: Thanks are due to our patrons for embracing Brainerd Library, to the Town for its ongoing financial support, to our donors, volunteers, staff, board, Friends, and fellow Haddam organizations and town departments. Anyone who comes through our doors or uses our online resources is considered a patron. All of our materials, programs and services are free. (We don’t even tell you how much to pay for fines on our materials. Just leave whatever small donation you like in the jar, and we’ll waive late charges.) Stop by and visit — tell us what you like, and what you want. We may be running it, but ultimately it’s your library.
