My name is Jessica Laganosky, and I am the branch director at the Jean Barnett Trone Memorial Library of East Berlin. The Trone Memorial Library has served the East Berlin community for over forty-five years. In 2016, the library building expanded in size to provide more community space for browsing of library materials; space for study; and more programming space. The warm and welcoming atmosphere is thanks to the wonderful team at the library – Anne, Carrie, Maddie, Molly, Sally, and Sherry.
If you have not had an opportunity to visit us in person, please do! There are so many positives when working in a small community such as East Berlin, but building relationships with the community and getting to know community members are two of the biggest positives. The Trone Memorial Library team cultivates these relationships, offering book recommendations based on a patron’s known interests; watching families grow and “graduate” from the children’s area to the young adult area; and working with experts in the community on a variety of topics to let their expertise shine in programming and displays. We’d love to see you at the library, joining us for a storytime, or a book discussion, or a craft night, or for one of our young adult event nights. Or, stop by just to say hi! It is a testament to the library team that community members from across the county keep coming back to the library.
As of 2021, the Trone Memorial Library has a Friends group and a Friends-operated bookstore! Currently, the bookstore is open Mondays and Saturdays, 10am-2pm, and carries a variety of books, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, and more. Be sure to check it out soon and to learn more about the Friends of the Trone Memorial Library.
A little bit about myself:
Though I became the branch director at Trone Memorial Library in 2021, I have worked for the Adams County Library System for sixteen years. During that time, I held the position of branch manager at the Littlestown Library (in the original location on East King Street!); the branch manager at the Harbaugh~Thomas Library in Biglerville; and the Public Services Librarian at the Gettysburg Library. I am blessed during my time with the Adams County Library System to meet such amazing people at each location I called “home” for a period of time.
I oversee the daily operations of the Trone Memorial Library and work closely with the Friends of the Trone Memorial Library. I also work with the library team to purchase books and develop programming. My responsibilities also include managing the checkout system for the Adams County Library System – if something goes wrong, I connect with the company to troubleshoot and get things working again as quickly as possible. I also coordinate adult programming for the Adams County Library System, including serving as chair of the Adams County Reads One Book Committee. Each October, the library system hosts the Adams County Reads One Book program, which offers opportunities for all community members to read and to connect through one book title. This year’s book will be announced in June, so stay tuned!
When not at the library, you’ll probably find me reading (I’ll read just about any type of book) or binge watching a crime drama (I’m currently watching Vera).
Submitted by Jessica Laganosky, Branch Director, Jean Barnett Trone Memorial Library of East Berlin