Victor Caputo said Monday that after nearly two decades as the Bryan Library’s public relations director and nearly 10 years working with then library director Cathy Mealing he feels more than comfortable taking the reins of the library.
“Cathy has been not only a great mentor, but a great friend,” Caputo said of the former library director. “I’ve had the leisure of working with here my whole 18 years here, she was always quick to share what she knew.”
In November, Caputo took over from Mealing who had served the library for 20 years — the last 10 of which she served as director.
In taking over as director, Caputo said, he hopes to continue’s Mealing’s tradition of improving technology.
“Those shoes are going to be hard to fill,” he said. “As of right now, we’re pretty up to date so I won’t really have to worry about it for, I’d say a couple of years, then it’ll give me a chance to get kind of settled into it.”
Prior to Mealing’s retirement, the library added rentable Nooks and a 3D printer to their catalogue of technology available to patrons,
In an interview with Julie Klein for the library’s newsletter prior to her retirement, Mealing said her biggest contribution to the library has been her love for technology.
“She just loved technology,” Caputo said. “She really brought the library into the computer age, and she stayed with it. She always made sure our computers were upgraded so they were always compatible with what the public was using in their homes, or kids in the schools.”
Caputo said that as times change the library needs to adapt to a world in which information is easier to obtain than ever before.
“We really going to make sure we can connect to the public,” he said. “I want to keep the library in the public eye. I want us to still be that community center for people. The idea of a community center where we open the library for civic meeting and just for conversation so people get that human contact that we all tend to miss out on texting.”
Caputo said he also plans to follow Mealing’s advice to make the trip from the administration building across the street to the library whenever he can.
“I’ve been making it a point of coming across and saying ‘hi’ to staff and patrons, I have been trying to keep that presence,” he said.
During her interview with Klein, Mealing said, her one piece of advice to her replacement would be to spend time once a week at the reference desk, to stay connected with the community.
In remembering Mealing’s time with the library, Caputo said, he is sad to see her go.
“What a great mentor to have,” he said. “I’m going to miss seeing her everyday, but I know she’s worked hard. I think its time for her now to relax and be with family, but she will be missed around here.”
Mealing was recognized by state Sen. Jack Martins in November for her years of service to the Bryant Library and Roslyn community.
