programming to hispanic and teen visitors
by MATTHEW HALL, News Editor
When Windsor’s former branch manager Anne Marie Murphy commutes
to her new branch in Rincon Valley, she might see her replacement
coming the other way. “We’ll probably be passing each other,” said
new branch manager Bill Coolidge.
Coolidge, who lives in Rincon Valley with his wife Robin and
their three cats , is already working at the Windsor branch,
meeting families and getting up to speed on the Windsor
programs.
Coolidge began his library career working part time in the
seminary library while studying to become a minister. Although he
obtained a Masters degree in divinity, Coolidge decided that
library science was his true calling and went back to school to
earn a second Masters in library science. “I thought if I was
having fun just working at the bottom shelving books, it would be
fun to be at the top,” he said.
The switch from doctrine to Dewey was not as abrupt as it might
first appear given that Coolidge’s grandfather, Dane, served as
head librarian for the City of Richmond after WWII and spearheaded
construction of the then state of the art facility. He said his
families connection to books extended to an uncle who capitalized
on anthropological studies to write westerns. “Some people say it’s
in my blood,” he said.
Coolidge has been a librarian for nine years, starting out in
San Jose and working his way north through Richmond and into
Windsor. He said he always knew he wanted to work with children. “I
feel I have a natural ability with kids, I’ve always had a good
rapport with them,” he said.
As a children’s librarian, Coolidge will be able to continue
building momentum around Windsor’s existing family friendly
programs and he said he wants to capitalize on the existing success
to expand programs for hispanic speakers and teens.
Prior to joining the Windsor branch he organized a mystery night
for teens within the county and he hopes to make use of the Windsor
branch’s existing language skills to host a Spanish story time.
“I just want to keep up with the Windsor tradition,” he
said.
