WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Milne Public Trustees announced the hiring of Angela Zimmermann to be the new library director. 

 

Zimmermann comes to the Milne Public Library from Wisconsin with over eight years of management experience in library services, most recently as the Executive Director of the Racine Public Library. 

 

"We are all excited to begin the next phase in the life of the Milne public library," Micah Manary, chair of the Milne Public Library Trustees said. "Angela brings innovation and energy that will genuinely transform how the library engages with our community." 

 

As a library director, Zimmermann has overseen significant renovation projects, implemented a library of things, launched a makerspace area, and chaired a committee that planned a 125th anniversary celebration. 

 

"The entire staff is looking forward to working with Angela on a range of new projects," Kirsten Rose, interim library director said. "We can't wait to welcome her to Williamstown."

 

A world traveler with language skills in German, Spanish, and French, Angela's experience of visiting over 115 libraries in 2023 highlighted for her the importance of libraries being welcoming community places. Angela is committed to supporting library staff to make the library a warm, friendly and welcoming place where people can access unbiased information. She used the German word, Gemütlichkeit, which captures the idea of "warm cordiality, agreeableness, comfortable friendliness or congeniality," to describe how the library should feel to patrons. 

 

Zimmermann said she is passionate about bringing exemplary programming and activities to the community, creating daily shared and cultural experiences, and providing cutting-edge, innovative, and educational services to the people served by the library.