JENNIE Rozycki
38 | John G. McCullough Free Library | Library Director
Residence: North Bennington
Career highlight(s): Welcoming nearly 1,000 people in one day to the McCullough Library for the Solar Eclipse of 2017. We had more than 900 glasses to distribute. People were lined up and down the street, meeting at the Library to share this amazing experience.
Community Involvement: My community involvement includes: being a founding member of the North Bennington Roundtable, a grassroots movement aimed at improving the quality of life in North Bennington. It is difficult to separate community involvement with my work life; I'm often 
collaborating with organizations, individuals, and businesses to make connections, plan free public events for the community, and work to solve problems which affect our neighbors.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont? I was motivated to live and work in Vermont because I knew my education, experiences, and general approach to librarianship would make a huge difference both in my community and within my profession.
Favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is connecting a person with the perfect book or resource. Bonus points if it is a young reader!
Most inspiring mentor and why: My most inspiring mentors are the people I serve because they are the ones who have taught me the most about what a library can and should be.
What is the best career advice you have received? The best career advice I have received is to have fun. If you aren't having fun, the people your Library serves probably aren't having fun, either.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: Few people know that I can sing. Specifically, that I like to sing 90s and early 2000s alternative rock. Even more specifically, that I like to sing karaoke on Friday nights. Also, that I have kept a journal since I was in the 7th grade.
What three words best describe you: Three words that best describe me are quirky, independent, confident.
Favorite Vermont escape: My favorite Vermont escape is the Vermont Summer Festival in Dorset and Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee.
Favorite downtime activity: My favorite downtime activity is cooking for my husband and our friends.
Favorite Super Hero and why: My favorite super hero is Alan Moore's Promethea, because she is an embodiment of the spirit of human ingenuity.
Favorite Social Media and why: My favorite social media is Facebook. Probably because of my age, but also because I thrive on words.
Person you would most like to share a Vermont beverage with: The person I'd most like to share a Vermont beverage with is my great grandmother and namesake. I'm told that she was smart, kind, and witty; I'd like to find out for myself.
If you had unlimited access to funds, which cause(s) would you support: The causes I would support would be literacy and (Vermont) libraries.
What one song is on your playlist that are you embarrassed to tell your best friend: The song on my playlist I would be embarrassed to tell my best friend is Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart
Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 5-10 years? In the next 5-10 years I'd like to guide the McCullough Library through another few rounds of active listening and strategic planning to ensure that this institution is well on the road to meeting the needs and aspirations of those it serves.
What career goal(s) would you like to accomplish in the next 5-10 years? The career goals I'd like to accomplish in the next 5-10 years is a substantial increase in the number of people the McCullough Library serves through marketing and outreach. I'd also like to sharpen my technology and tutoring skills to help guide others through a changing digital landscape.
How has your community service changed since the pandemic? My community service during the pandemic has changed to focus on job skills development and food security.
How has your job changed since this pandemic? During the pandemic, my job has changed dramatically. Although the McCullough Library building is closed to the public since mid-March, my colleagues and I have developed a book pickup service and virtual programs which have been enthusiastically received. Use of the digital collections (free ebooks and digital audiobooks!) and services like Lynda.com have really taken off.