A "See You Later" and a "Welcome Home"

After 3 years as our little library's caretaker, Lauren Roppolo passed the keys to Madeline Helser. She brought joy, laughter, and so many great memories for our patrons and community. She will be greatly missed, but we wish her all the best on her future adventures. 

Madeline joins us from Jamaica, Vermont. She is the director of the library in Jamaica, opening up opportunities for collaboration and sharing between our two libraries. She moved to Vermont in June of 2023, having traveled here from Beaufort, South Carolina. She has her master's degree in library science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joins us with more than 10 years of experience in library management and youth services. Most recently she worked in the non-profit sector as a coordinator for Second Helpings, a 3-county food rescue, and previous to that as an executive director for Neighborhood Outreach Connection, a non-profit that provides opportunities for families in poverty. Previous to that she served as a library branch manager and the county wide coordinator for youth services for the Beaufort County Library System, which encompassed 5 branches and 2 bookmobiles.

When Madeline's not at the library, she enjoys playing the oboe with the Windham Philharmonic and going on hikes with her partner Vera and their dog Lottie. She loves to read (and write) queer fiction, especially graphic novels, and will never turn down fruit or dark chocolate. Come say hello and welcome her to the community!

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