Wakefield seeks part-time librarian, library board members

By CHARITY SMITH

csmith@yourdailyglobe.com

Wakefield — The Wakefield Library board is seeking a part-time librarian as well as to fill two vacant board positions.

The board announced its board member vacancies last week, and expects to post the librarian position this week.

The library is temporarily closed following the resignation of library director Joel Laessig on Jan. 3, and the library board is in the process of restructuring the operation.

“We are proposing a part-time librarian due to the fact that a full-time librarian with fringes takes up over 70% of the library’s budget,” said Loraine Mussatti, president of the library board. “That would open our budget to design opportunities and allow us to find out more of what the community needs.”

The library had been considering sharing its library resources with Bessemer, but decided against it. Mussatti said that it would have cost the library more money to do so, than hiring their own part-time librarian.

“When we got down to the number crunching, we wouldn’t have saved any money by going with Bessemer,” she said.

The board vacancies are due to the resignation of Kris Niemela earlier this month, which left an unexpired term open. The other vacancy is due to the expiration of Alyssa Ahonen’s term on Jan. 31. Ahonen does not wish to continue on the board, according to Mussatti.

Mussatti said the person filling the unexpired term will start immediately and go through Jan. 31, 2025. Ahonen’s replacement will start on Feb. 1 and the term goes through Jan. 31, 2027.

Mussatti said they are hoping to collaborate with the school to keep kids interested in reading books. She said that they have 10 volunteers who are going through training to be able to assist with checking out books.

Mussatti said she will help patrons where needed.

“If someone really needs to check out a book, I can be available to do so,” she said.

For more information, visit thecityofwakefield.org or call Mussatti at 906-364-2641.