South Burlington interviews library board applicants as director prepares to retire

South Burlington City Council held interviews with candidates for the city’s Library Board, where applicants described volunteer experience, outreach ideas and priorities while trustees flagged an upcoming director search and ongoing access concerns.

Applicants and trustees said the library’s new building and expanded programming have increased demand and highlighted gaps in outreach and transportation that the board wants to address. Incumbent trustees told the council they will work with the city manager and human resources on hiring a replacement for Library Director Jennifer Murray, who is scheduled to retire in October.

The library applicants—many of whom cited experience with fundraising, community programs and communications—outlined ideas to increase community engagement. Karen Marie Liamos described volunteer-led literacy and English-learner programming and suggested larger outreach to recruit volunteers. Applicant Ashley Hafley said she would bring marketing and communications expertise to reach diverse neighborhoods and to help build a base of “community evangelists” for the library. Applicant Brenda Withy emphasized financial oversight and said she could contribute on the library finance committee; several candidates cited knowledge of fundraising and nonprofit governance.

Trustees and applicants repeatedly raised two operational concerns: transportation access and children’s programming space. Trustee Stacy (current board chair) told the council that Murray’s retirement will make hiring a top board priority and said the trustees plan to coordinate closely with city staff to conduct the search. Stacy also said the board is tracking how Market Street development and changing transit routing affect patrons’ ability to reach the library and noted that Sunday hours and bus access are recurring questions raised by new residents.

Applicants and trustees also discussed volunteer-run programs already offered by the library—children’s story times, reading-with-animals programs and the “library of things” lending collection—and said those offerings are under-promoted. Several candidates suggested targeted outreach to new apartment communities in City Center and to non‑English speakers to raise awareness of bilingual materials and services.

No formal appointments were made at this meeting; councilors said they will notify applicants of decisions by June 16. Candidates were told that terms (if appointed) start July 1 and that the council will make selections during its June meeting.

The council session included brief exchanges about the library foundation and friends groups, trust funds held to support collections, and the need to backfill vacant trustee seats with people who can support fundraising and community outreach.

If appointed, trustees said they would prioritize: (1) participation in the director search and onboarding process; (2) continued outreach to newly developed Market Street housing and to non‑English speaking residents; and (3) fundraising and volunteer recruitment to sustain children’s programming and the “library of things.”