INPERSON
Former Assistant
Library Director
starts new chapter
as Director.
BY KATHY RUDOLPH
“I
t’s a little crazy, but good crazy,” says
Amanda Kirby, West Allegheny
Community Library’s Director, when
asked about her new position. “It’s busy and
I’m learning lots of new things. I’m trying to
get a grasp of everything, but it’s going well.”
And that “grasp” includes running the
14,500-square-foot library with a collection
of over 45,000 items. Located on Bateman
Road in Oakdale, it was used by more than
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20,453 residents of Findlay and North
Fayette townships and Oakdale Borough
in 2013, according to The State Library of
Pennsylvania.
Kirby, of Hampton Township, is up for
the challenge. “I have a lot of ideas and not
so much time to do them all,” laughs Kirby.
“I think the library is really central to the
Photo by Priddy Pictures
WACL Welcomes
Amanda Kirby to
New Role
community and we can expand upon that
and really make it the heart and hub of the
community.”
The library is in a unique position. “We
have three different municipalities that
support us and a lot of libraries just have
one,” says Kirby. “Along with West Allegheny
School District, we are really that bridge,
or connector for all three of those, so we
are excited to have the opportunity to
continue to expand and grow and meet the
community’s needs and wants.”
Kirby’s professional journey includes
receiving her master’s degree in Library and
Information Science from the University
of Pittsburgh. After