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New Manassas City Library branch manager reports growth, new programs and Career Online High School progress
Summary
Lina Gonzales Berrios, the new branch manager, reported growth in visits and program attendance, highlighted adult Career Online High School scholarships, early‑literacy and maker programs, and outlined strategic goals for 2025.
Lina Gonzales Berrios, the new branch manager for the Manassas City branch of Prince William Public Libraries, presented the library’s annual report and goals for 2025. She described staff changes, program growth and several ongoing grants and partnerships.
Why it matters: the library branch has expanded services and seen notable gains in program attendance while working with limited staff; the branch’s adult education and workforce programs — particularly the Career Online High School (COHS) scholarships — were highlighted as high‑impact initiatives.
Highlights reported - Staffing and usage: the library has nine staff (seven full time, two part time); branch visits increased 20% from 2023 to 2024; program attendance rose 36% on a per‑program basis despite fewer offerings while the branch was understaffed. - Career Online High School: the branch reported 20 scholarships per year (program managed through Smart Horizons), with 30 current students and 32 graduates since 2020; a reported graduation rate of 85% (presenter said this is roughly 20% higher than the national average). The presentation said a COHS scholarship cost was $12.95 per student (as spoken in the presentation) and cited a lifetime taxpayer savings estimate per graduate from an outside study (presenter cited a Northeastern University figure of $292,000 per graduate) and aggregated hypothetical savings across graduates. - Programs and grants: new seed‑library partnerships with Master Gardeners, LEGO STEM grants, a Latino Poetry program and teen contests were described. The branch is planning family engagement nights, a teen DIY area and a summer reading kickoff tied to a larger “Play All Day” event on June 20.
Council response Council members praised the branch’s outreach and programs; questions focused on teen programming capacity, room reservations and how to increase outreach to high‑school seniors for FAFSA assistance. The manager noted preloaded learning tablets (launchpads), Wi‑Fi hot spots, a makerspace 3D printer, and loanable devices to bridge digital gaps.
Ending: The branch manager invited council and residents to upcoming events and said the library will continue to ramp up programming as staffing stabilizes.
