Page 13 - North Haven Magazine Issue 12 Winter 2020

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North Haven Memorial Library’s orth Haven Memorial Library’s orth Haven Memorial Library’s
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Sue Griffi
Sue Griffithsthsthsths New Directorew Directorew Director
Sue Griffi
Sue Griffi
by Marisa Hexter

In the last months of 2019, North Haven Memorial Library welcomed Susan Griffiths into her new position as Director of Library
Services. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Griffiths to commemorate her position, allowing me to put together an article dedicated
to a wonderful individual who cares deeply about our town.

orking in a library is not where Ms. When asked a question about things she ues to evolve is the way many of us access
WGriffiths saw herself working when learned along the way which is not taught in information. That is why communities will
she was a child. “...I thought I would be- school that are important to her, Ms. Griffiths always need libraries and librarians”. This
come a nurse because I wanted to work in spoke about how significant it is to forge re- belief has ingrained itself into the work
a profession where I got to care for people lationships and work with local groups in Ms. Griffiths does for the community. “I
and have the opportunity to make a posi- the community and how working with them want everyone to discover all the rich, free
tive impact”. While in college for nursing proves invaluable to the library, enabling it to resources available at the library, and hope
at Southern Connecticut State Univer- better serve the community. She named a few the library serves a foundation for a life-
sity, Susan shifted career paths to public groups she has worked with such as the Day- long love of reading and learning”.
health. After the birth of her first child, time Gardners, the Garden Club, the North
she switched gears and went to work at her Haven Historical Society, the Rotary Club, the The new position is a welcome challenge
family’s floor covering business, Specialty public schools, nearby colleges and universi- for Ms. Griffiths. She is excited to be the
Carpets, located in North Haven, where ties, North Haven Magazine, and the North Director, and her days have been jammed
she worked for ten years. Haven Friends of the Library. packed. She is looking forward to working
with the staff and the public to make sure
As a child, being a librarian was not even the library is a welcoming destination for
in Ms. Griffiths’ radar of future careers. “I everyone in town.
had a not-so-great library experience as a
child and even as a twenty-something. But Towards the end of the interview, I asked
it was when I moved to North Haven (in some fun questions to get to know Ms.
2002) and brought my children to this li- Griffiths outside of her Director role. I
brary that I saw all that a library could be”. first asked if she had a favorite book, and I
Between the helpful staff and great pro- learned there is never an answer for there
grams for children, Susan began to truly are, “Too many to choose from.'' I also
appreciate and love the library and got a asked what her favorite part of North Ha-
job as a part-time clerk there. When de- ven was (besides the library), to which she
ciding what her next steps would be with spoke about the “great community”, school
this newfound passion, Ms. Griffiths de- system, and the many wonderful friends
cided to leave her part-time position at the she has made. Ms. Griffiths is also an avid
North Haven Memorial Library to work tennis player. She plays both recreationally
full time as a library technical assistant at Susan has garnered some wonderful mentors and competitively on a few USTA teams!
the Arnold Bernhard Library at Quinnip- along her journey as well. “I’d like to acknowl- She also stated that if she were not a li-
iac University. “The academic library was edge my former boss and library director, Pa- brarian, she probably would have become
completely different from the public li- tricia LaTerza. Pat was extremely dedicated to a graphic designer or physical education
brary, but I loved that library as well”. After our library and always said that we ‘work for teacher.
two years in this position at Quinnipiac, the public’, and I hold true to that statement”.
Susan wanted to take the next step in li- She also acknowledged Linda Hawkes, a for- As a child, Ms. Griffiths wanted the oppor-
brarianship. This is when she applied for mer Quinnipiac boss, who encouraged her to tunity to make a positive impact by caring
her master’s degree in Library and Infor- go back to school and Matt Wilcox, another for people, and she is doing exactly that in
mation Sciences, which she earned from Quinnipiac boss who has been a constant sup- her new position as Director of the North
Drexel University. porter of hers, especially when applying for Haven Memorial Library. Ms. Griffiths, I
the Director position. hope I can speak on behalf of those who
“Working full time and raising two young know you and say welcome to your new
children while completing my master’s de- When I asked if the field of Library Science position and thank you for everything you
gree in two years was quite challenging. I has changed since she began, Ms. Griffiths do!
was very fortunate to have a great support responded that while her degree is relatively
system from my family, in particular, my recent, “I believe the core values of librarian-
husband Chris. We all worked together to ship...are tried-and-true principles that stand
allow me the time I needed to study”. the test of time. What has changed and contin-

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