By Jessica Chin
The Great Neck Library Board of Trustees appointed Alana Mutum as the new head librarian for its Lakeville Branch on Tuesday night.
Mutum, 23, will be replacing Ruth Klement, who died in December at 56. Mutum will begin her position on March 6.
Mutum said she would have liked to come into the position under different circumstances, but she hopes she can live up to Klement’s legacy.
“Lakeville had a very vibrant branch head and I can only hope to meet the standards she has set on a personal basis,” Mutum said. “I think Lakeville has shown that they need more programming, and they need a librarian’s touch again.”
Mutum said she had came into contact with Klement several times, once covering for her at the Lakeville Branch on one Christmas Eve.
Mutum previously managed the children’s department at the Queens Library’s Hillcrest branch, and has worked as a librarian in the Great Neck Library system.
She has a master’s degree in library and information science from Queens College, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Kathy Giotsas, the Great Neck Library’s executive director, said Mutum brought new ideas and is well suited to work at Lakeville Branch.
“During the interview process, she brought in a lot of great ideas and she’s really excited about the new programs that she plans to have for Lakeville,” Giotsas said during the meeting. “She has a great bubbly personality and I think that her personality matches what we have there before, and I think the community will embrace her.”
Mutum said she plans to collaborate with local businesses to improve the Lakeville Branch.
“There’s a booming business district around the Lakeville Branch, and I really hope I can invite those employees into the library and build not only a relationship with the residents of the Lakeville Branch but with business owners and employees,” Mutum said.
Also on Tuesday, the Board of Trustees discussed implementing public meetings at all four libraries, installing additional shelving for the children’s and media sections at the Main Library and a new service contract for maintaining the automatic doors.
The board will hold a budget workshop during its next meeting at the Main Library on March 7.
