New director takes the helm at Penn Area Library

Jessica Beichler sees a lot of opportunity for growth at the Penn Area Library, where she began serving as director Sept. 3, following the retirement of Dorene Miller.

“I like the community here,” said the Trafford resident, who previously served as director. “There are people moving into the community who might not know we’re here, and it presents us with some new opportunities to tackle.”

Chief among those, for Beichler, is starting up a teen advisory board.

“They would have a say in what sort of programs and materials we offer them,” Beichler said.

And while bringing in younger readers is important, Beichler also wanted to focus on the library’s full spectrum of clientele. That includes offering titles in both a digital and traditional format.

“I think instant gratification is important in this day and age,” she said. “It’s tricky find that balance. We do circulate more traditional books than e-books, but we do need to focus on expanding our e-book collection little by little.”

Beichler said modern libraries need to evolve and become more of a community center.

“I’ve found that a lot of people think libraries are fading away,” she said. “My time in libraries has proven that’s not the case. They’re alive and well, and they’re evolving.”

For more on Penn Area Library programs, see, PennLib.org.