NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Public Library is in need of a youth services librarian now that Sara Russell-Scholl has left for the Berkshire Athenaeum.

 

Library Director Sarah Sanfilippo told the trustees on Wednesday that she has received applications for the open position.

 

"We posted the job shortly after she left, and we received a whole bunch of resumes," Sanfilippo said. "We are working through those and figuring out who we want to interview."

 

Russell-Scholl left her post in late January after seven years at the North Adams library, the first three as youth services assistant. She took a similar position at the Pittsfield library.

 

Otherwise, Sanfilippo told the trustees that things were quiet at the library with services greatly reduced during the pandemic.

 

"There is not a whole lot going on and it has been business as usual," she said.

 

She said curbside pickups continue to be popular, and patrons are continuing to sign up to use library computers.

 

"I think the word is getting out and we are getting regulars," she said. "We have had a few no-shows. I think people are learning about our services but just not following through. I am not sure what to do about that."

 

She said staff is also taking the time to inventory the library's collection 

 

"We are starting to clean up the catalog," she said. "We are marking things that are missing ... it is just some cleanup that we normally don't have time to do when we are open."

 

She said they are also getting rid of books that are no longer in good condition and giving away materials that are no longer in circulation.

 

"We pack them into bags by genre and put them outside for curbside pickup," she said. "It's like a grab bag, like 'here grab this bag of romance novels or thrillers.' People are excited about them."

 

She said she has also asked employees to think about their own duties so she can update job descriptions.

 

"We want to streamline and move things around so we are ready when we can finally open and do the things that we used to do," she said.