“I just love how many opportunities public
libraries bring to people,” says Kirby. “Every
library has its own kind of personality and
brings something special.”
After two years working at the Brentwood
Public Library as a Young Adult Services and
Adult Services Librarian, she was hired as
the Children’s Librarian at WACL and then
later was promoted be the Assistant Library
Director.
“Amanda was hired in February 2011
as the Children’s Librarian,” says Marianne
Sforza, who was Director of WACL for 25
years. “As with everything Amanda does,
she gave 100 percent of herself to make
the Children’s Department the best for our
communities. Over the years, Amanda saw
the need to develop the Youth Services
Department, encompassing the Children’s,
Middle Grade, and Teen Departments
along with the other Youth Services
Librarians.”
She got to know the families who visited
the Children’s Department. “Building lasting
relationships with parents and children of
all ages was accomplished through excellent
story times, programs, outreach programs
and her bubbly personality,” says Sforza.
“She won a Best Practices Award from the
Pennsylvania Library Association for her
dynamic Rolling and Strolling Summer Story
are always at the forefront of what our vision
is for the library and what our services are
going to be. Being a young mom, I know what
I’m looking for, so it’s easy to give feedback
and have that incorporated into what we are
doing. It helps steer where we are going.”
The community’s needs are number one
on the priority list. “We really try to cater
to what our community wants and try to
fill those gaps and are always looking for
feedback,” she continues. “We have a really
active Board that is great with the vision and
ideas and inspiration, and really help us to get
where we want to go.”
Patty Giura is the WACL Board of
Trustees President. “Amanda has been an
invaluable resource to the library since she
came aboard,” she says. “Her skills in the
“People absolutely love being in libraries.
It makes them feel good and they are excited to
be there, and that’s why this is a great job to have—
”
to do something that makes people happy.
Time Program. Amanda thinks ‘outside the
box’ and is a visionary of great magnitude
who will continue making WACL a fantastic
community hub. I am proud she is my
successor as Library Director.”
Kirby also understands firsthand the needs
of parents and children, as a mom of two little
boys, ages one and three.
“For almost all public libraries in
Allegheny County, young children and their
families are what we always call the bread and
butter; they make up the biggest portion of
our users,” says Kirby.
And she’s right. A 2013 national study by
The Pew Internet and American Life Project
showed that 70 percent of parents reported
that their child visited a public library in the
past 12 months and 55 percent said their
child had his/her own library card.
“Our circulation on children’s books is
well beyond that of anything in any other
collection in the library,” says Kirby. “Kids
children’s area were highly regarded early on
and soon she stood out as a future leader of
the library. She was always willing to give a
fresh perspective and help the Board really
understand how the library works as well as
offer ideas to move us to the next level. When
the Director position became available, we
knew Amanda would be a great choice and
she has lived up to our every expectation. We
are lucky to have her!”
Kirby invites people to the library who
may have preconceived notions about it.
“We are not the stereotypical library that you
think of from the past,” she says. “It is more
like a community center and we aren’t going
to ‘shush’ you. We want you to come in and
spend time and use the space. You will be
surprised and impressed by what you’ll find.”
For more information on WACL’s
upcoming events, visit
westernalleghenylibrary.org. n
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