BPL’s new director looks to expand services, increase patronage

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the Baldwin Public Library to check out the latest novel, surf the Internet and various databases and participate in one of the many programs offered. But for the library to run smoothly, it needs someone in charge to oversee things and make sure it’s headed in the right direction.

Since early May, that person has been Elizabeth Olesh, when she started her tenure as the BPL’s director. Olesh, who lives in Port Washington with her wife and stepdaughter, is no stranger to the world of libraries. She has held positions working in a library’s young adult section, coordinating adult programs and handling public outreach over the course of her career. Prior to accepting a position in Baldwin, she worked for the Nassau Library System for 10 years.

“I decided to throw my hat in the ring and see what happened,” she said of applying for the job in Baldwin. “I had been looking for a director job for a couple of years.”

She first interviewed with the BPL’s Board of Trustees in March and was hired in April. Olesh said she felt an immediate connection with the board and staff members. “I was ecstatic,” she said of when she accepted the role. “I just knew that it was going to be the right place.”

Since she’s been handling the day-to-day business of the BPL, Olesh said she has been looking into the building’s infrastructure to better form a plan on how and when to make necessary upgrades — like installing a new boiler. She is also looking to expand the amount of digital resources the library offers — like ebooks.

But Olesh said the biggest thing she can do right now is continue to get to know the Baldwin community. She has already met many residents and gotten to know a variety of organizations, but there are more people to meet, she said.

Prior to taking over as director, Olesh led workshops at the BPL while working with the Nassau Library System, which is a consortium comprised of all public libraries in Nassau County. “I was really excited just to interview here,” she said. “I knew that it was a really diverse community and that was something I was very interested in.”

By working for the Nassau Library System, Olesh said she saw other libraries organize summer reading programs for adults. This summer marked the first time the BPL had its own. Coming into the summer, Olesh said she would have been happy if 20 or 30 people signed up — instead there are nearly 200.

There are roughly 20,000 Baldwin residents with library cards, Olesh said, but she would like to see that number increase. “I want the library to be the center of the community,” she said. “In any town, the library is one of the only organizations that serves everyone from cradle to grave. I want everyone to know and to feel that the library is the go-to place for them.”