Brandon Twp.- After a turbulent year, the library will enter 2015 with a new leader.
Rebecca Higgerson has been named the new library director.
‘I’m excited about Rebecca, she is coming from a bigger system down to a smaller system, she has a wide range of library skills and experiences and I think she will bring a lot of enthusiasm and energy to the library,? said Library Board Trustee Ann Schmid.
Higgerson has been employed by the Sacramento Public Library for 20 years. For the past four years, she has managed the Central Library, the fourth largest main library in California, with her duties including supervision of staff, oversight of the operations of the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria event and meeting space, fostering of partnerships with Downtown Sacramento Partnership, University of California-Davis School of Education; and direction of the digitization of archival records and images. Previously, she served as a library supervisor III for three years, and prior to that was an adult services and youth services librarian.
Higgerson received her bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of California-Berkley in 1992 and earned her master’s in library science from Wayne State University in 1994. She is originally from the Flint area.
‘I’m over the moon, I’m so excited,? said Higgerson of her selection as the new library director. ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity to rebuild some things at the library. I know they have been through tough times recently.?
It was nearly a year ago when former Director Paula Gauthier resigned amidst questions about why the library had not received state aid revenue for the five years of her tenure. The library board soon discovered Gauthier did not have the college degrees she claimed to have earned and the revelations led the library to file suit Sept. 24 against Gauthier, seeking damages in excess of $270,000 for credentials fraud, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty for claiming she had a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree, when in fact she had neither. Gauthier was hired by the library in 2001 and was promoted to assistant director in 2005, and as director in 2006.
Following Gauthier’s resignation, the library named Adult Services Librarian Colleen Stringer as interim director. The library underwent a forensic audit and the board was preparing to start a new director search when Stringer died suddenly of natural causes on July 31.
As the staff and community mourned the loss of Stringer, the board did not name another interim director, but assigned Fran Hotchkiss, children’s librarian, as the senior staff person. Hotchkiss, as well as library employee Gail Carpenter, were present at the interviews of five library candidates, including Higgerson. The library received 11 applications for the position and ultimately selected Higgerson.
‘Her cover letter and resume do not even begin to define the person we met at the interview,? said Library Trustee Verna Cole. ‘Her accomplishments, character and personality are just going to be a great fit for the Brandon Township Library. We were overall amazed at the quality and number of applicants we received. While there were a number of people very qualified for the job, Rebecca was very clearly the most qualified and is the person we felt would fit best in our particular library and help us move forward. We were torn between looking for someone with a budget and business side and looking for someone with a love of the library world and we found someone who fits all of that and more.?
The library board agreed to terms with Higgerson at their Oct. 18 meeting. Those terms include the posted salary of $50,000 annually, as well as a start date of Jan. 5, 2015, with retirement benefits (6 percent match) to take effect immediately. She will receive medical, vision and dental benefits as well.
Higgerson is looking forward to returning to Michigan and working with the staff at a smaller library as opposed to the large system she is in now.
‘I was interested in a more personal experience, and doing more,? said Higgerson. ?(Brandon) is practically out the back door from where I grew up and it seems like a natural, perfect fit… Over the years, I’ve developed really good supervisory skills, I love to mentor people and help them grow… I love a large staff, the energy is fantastic, but I miss the ability to work really closely with people one-on-one.?
She also hopes to form partnerships with businesses and residents in the community.
‘I think in a small community there will be great opportunities to do outreach and develop partnerships that will make the Brandon Library a destination,? Higgerson said. ‘For those not using the library, we can help them understand that everyone can be served by the public library and what we can provide for them.?