Opportunities for partnerships. The wonderful staff. And a core community space for learning. These are the components that drew John Hong to the director’s position at the Churchill County Library.
Hong arrived to take the reins at the library on October 20 and has been duly impressed with his first observations of the library itself and his interactions with folks in the community.
“This library is a cozy space with different areas for activities, including computers, a kids’ corner, and space for programs. The support from the City of Fallon and the county and the close-knit community vibe all present opportunities for partnerships,” he said.
He is eager to partner with schools, homeschoolers, festivals, and other community events to deliver high-quality programming and customer service to the library.
Hong’s goals for his first few months are to invest in his staff, who make everything roll, and to establish trust. He also plans to build community relations through outreach efforts and to make everyone who walks into the library feel welcome, encouraging them to offer suggestions for what they might need. Finally, he wants to build partnerships and connect with schools, the museum, and NAS Fallon to raise awareness of the library's services that people may not know about.
“The library has a great reputation for programming, so I want to pursue those ideas that benefit the community. All will have a voice here,” he said.
He sees the library's purpose as meeting the community's core needs by providing services that reflect its values and needs. “We want to be on the verge of new ideas and technology here and have the space be flexible for all users.”
Hong comes to Fallon from Texas, where he worked as director of distance learning library services at Dallas Baptist University. Before that, he was the library director at Southern Reformed Seminary College and worked in the Houston Public Library system and in the Laredo Public Library. In the past, he has worked at Queens Public Library, the Rosenthal Art Library, and SUNY Oswego’s Penfield Library.
Hong is currently pursuing his doctorate in leadership studies. He has a master’s degree in library science from Queens College in Flushing, New York, and bachelor’s degrees in English, writing arts, and journalism from the State University of New York at Oswego.
Comment
Comments