Guille-Alles appoints its new chief librarian
NEW chief librarian Cornelia James is working to bring the Guille-Alles Library into the modern era, making physical and digital information resources accessible and keeping the needs of the community at the forefront of each programme.
Mrs James is taking over from Laura Milligan, who served eight years in the position.
‘Cornelia is the perfect person to lead the library in the years ahead. I know she will use her strong background in children’s and outreach services, together with her incredible passion and dedication, to continue evolving the library service and expanding our presence in the community,’ Mrs Milligan said.
Mrs James has spent many years as the outreach librarian and she has managed the children’s and young people’s service since 2016. She also oversaw the transformation of the children’s library in 2018.
‘It’s such an honour to take Guille-Alles forward into the next chapter,’ she said.
‘In 2022 we want to put a strong focus on celebrating our uniqueness – our unique history and heritage, our unique role in the community, and our unique range of services for people of all ages.’
In recent years, Mrs James said the library has shifted more and more to providing digital and accessible services to accommodate community needs during Covid-19 lockdowns.
‘Digital resources was a big part of the library services that had to expand with Covid-19. During the lockdowns, the library also implemented a home delivery service for anyone who needed it.
‘The ways we access information is so different now and it’s important to keep information resources accessible and available,’ said Mrs James.
‘Libraries need to continue evolving to meet the needs of the community.’
During the 2021 lockdown, the library made 415 home deliveries around the island, and it remains an important feature of library service with 55 clients using the service regularly.
The library has a number of initiatives launching in 2022, including a special project to bring its history to life and a new series of events in the Fab Lab.
There is also a weekly meditation session on Mondays at lunchtime to provide people with a space to practice mindfulness in the middle of the work day.
n More information about library services can be found at www.library.gg.
