The next chapter for Ronald: library director

It's deja vu all over again, sort of, for Karen Ronald, who was promoted to director of the Fairfield Library System on Monday.

Ronald, during her career, has also been the director of the Trumbull Library System and the Wilton Library Association. She served as director for five years in both those towns but she plans to break that cycle with Fairfield.

"I moved here, I made an investment and I love it here," Ronald said. "I call it home now."

Ronald became a Fairfield resident two-and-a-half years ago, one year after securing the position of deputy director of the Fairfield Public Library. She worked directly under Maura Ritz, who retired at the end of last month.

The library's Board of Trustees, rather than automatically promote Ronald, conducted a national search to replace Ritz. Thirty-eight people from across the nation sought the job but Ronald, who was here already, was selected as Ritz' successor.

"I guess now they can say for sure they have the right person," Ronald said.

What will Ronald bring to the top position in the town's library system?

"Vision and hard work and new ideas. Lots of enthusiasm, energy, creativity," she said. "I like developing new partnerships with community organizations. I know lots of people in town already so we can grow those relationships and build new ones. I have a solid foundation working with staff and community partners. I can hit the ground running and capitalize on the momentum we have built over the last few years."

Among other things, some too early to reveal yet, Ronald wants to build stronger ties with the public schools, as she has ties with some but not all of them. She also wants to establish a connection with Sacred Heart University. The library system already has a relationship with Fairfield University, as Fairfield U. representatives sit on the library's One Book, One Town committee and the university provides space for the library's author series. Ronald would also like to see the library partner up with the Fairfield Theatre Company, which is a short walk from the main library on the Post Road.

Ronald also wants to make sure "everyone in town has a library card and discovers how wonderful this place is." The library purchases 30,000 items (audio CDs, magazines, books, etc.) each year. Its current collection budget is $567,510. Ronald said that works out to a little less than $10 per Fairfield resident. In other words, a Fairfield resident can take out a ton of stuff from the library for less than what they would likely spend on a single visit to a bookstore.

Because of the economy, many people and families have been flocking to libraries (the main library and the Fairfield Woods branch library) like never before -- or at least not within recent memory.

"One million items will be borrowed this fiscal year," Ronald said.

Nowadays, people are more likely to do a "staycation" than go on a vacation.

"People are not spending as much. They have to think of other ways to experience culture and community, and they're returning to their community library," Ronald said.

In addition to the library being a cheaper alternative of entertainment, some people just like popping in, and enjoy just being in the space. It's a community center, according to Ronald, where people can use the resources, meet one another, get out from their homes where they might live alone, or just get a break from their job.

"It's important just to feel a part of their community," Ronald said.

Ronald said she never gets bored in her line of work, especially since "the library is always changing in response to the community."

"The community is constantly changing and evolving and the library has to evolve and change with it. It's not static," she said. "It can't be, or it's really not a community center."

From story times for children to job information to entertainment, the library has it all. While Ronald now holds the top position in the library, she doesn't want to lose touch with the public that make up the library's clientele. She plans to find the time to continue working the circulation desk every Tuesday afternoon, as well as continue to work at the reference desk once a month like she's been doing. In addition, Ronald wants to work once a week at the Fairfield Woods branch library on the other side of town.

Ronald didn't always know what she wanted to be in life. While in high school, her mother told her she should be a librarian because she's always liked to read, research and loved being around people and was community-minded. At the time, she thought her mother's premonition was way off target.

Ronald, who was born in Canada and lived there until accepting the library director job in Wilton in 1995, majored in political studies and also got a master's degree in politics. She found work as a political assistant to a federal member of parliament and later a cabinet minister. Ultimately she realized she could only go so far assisting others. Her goal never was to become a politician herself. Instead, she got the notion that she could be a public servant and do something meaningful working in a library helping others. She subsequently earned a master's degree in library science.

Her first job in that field was that of CEO/librarian of the Espanola Public Library in Espanola, Ontario, Canada. After three years, she made the move to the United States to accept a job as library director of the Wilton Library Association, where she directed an organization staffed by more than 30 personnel and supported by 50-plus volunteers in managing a library serving a population of more than 16,000.

The Trumbull Library System, where she assumed director duties in 2001, represented a bigger town. Fairfield however, is the biggest of the three. Its library system has 100-plus employees, 100 volunteers and serves a population of 57,404.

"I'm fine with it," Ronald said. "I've done it before and have been quite successful and quite effective."

Asked if she plans to celebrate her promotion with perhaps a vacation, Ronald said she may go to Hungary with her husband to attend a wedding. However, even in another country, she may not get a break from library-related discussion. The person getting married, her husband's nephew, is a librarian.