By Brian Zanzonico
Lisa Paulo, the head of the Great Neck Public Library's Children's Services department for the past decade, was named the new library director at the Oct. 3 Board of Trustees meeting. Paulo succeeds Ahrens, who left last year to become director of the Hicksville Public Library, and Margaret Smith, who has been acting director in the interim.
"I'm very excited to serve the Franklin Square community," Paulo said. "I feel my experience at Great Neck has prepared me a good deal for this position. I'll learn the staff and hopefully it will be a smooth transition. I'm eager for residents to come by and say hello."
Paulo worked at the Great Neck Library for 18 years, beginning as a trainee. After earning a master's in library science from St. John's University, she became a part-time reference librarian, and then worked full-time in the Children's Department before becoming assistant department head of children's services and, finally, head of the department.
Harriett Fargnoli, assistant head of the Great Neck facility's Children Services department, worked with Paulo for 16 years. Fargnoli described Paulo as someone who managed the staff well and had respect for patrons and employees, attributes she said would make her successful as a library director. "It's sort of a natural progression in her career," Fargnoli said.
Paulo said she took a library director's exam earlier this year, and her name was put into a pool. Franklin Square Library officials called her in for an interview in early September.
"We are excited to have such a gifted and personable professional to lead us into the next stage of growth in our library," said the Rev. Frederick McElderry, a member of the board.
Paulo said that one of her first orders of business will be to development more programs for children and to better market what the library has to offer. "I want to get more people into our library," she said. "I want to make us more visible in the community."
She stopped short of saying exactly how she plans to do that, explaining that she wants to first gain a better understanding of what residents like. "You don't want to force something on the community if they don't want it," Paulo said.
Paulo is an active member of the Nassau County Library Association, one of the largest library groups in the country. She was president of the association in 2001, and will serve as treasurer in 2007.
Fargnoli said that Paulo was a popular figure at the Great Neck Library, and patrons will have a chance to say goodbye to her at an open house on Oct. 29. On Nov. 1, the Franklin Square community will welcome Paulo to its facility at an open house from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Franklin Square Library is located at 19 Lincoln Rd.
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