County of Dougherty issued the following announcement on Aug. 6.
The Dougherty County Library Board has appointed a new director for the Dougherty County Library System. Gail Evans is set to replace long-time director, Pauline Abidde, who recently retired after nearly 40 years of service to the Dougherty County Library System.
A native of Eastman, Georgia, Evans comes to Dougherty County from Henry County Library System, where she has served as assistant director for the last four years. Prior to her time with Henry County and after serving for eight years in Dublin, Georgia, she worked as a Branch Manager in the Gwinnett County Library System for 14 years.
“As the new director of the Dougherty County Library System, I am eager to help continue the mission of an already successful library system by responding to the community’s needs,” said Evans. “The library’s mission is to strengthen our community by inspiring, encouraging and supporting lifelong learning for all and through public libraries, people can continue learning for the rest of their lives regardless of their socioeconomic status.”
A graduate of Dodge County High School, Evans attended Oxford College and graduated from Emory University with a bachelor’s degree in English. Her first paid position in a library was working in a law firm in downtown Atlanta, where she researched the answer to a legal reference question, sparking a love of reference and helping people obtain information. After earning her master’s degree in Library Science from Clark Atlanta University, she served as Head of Reference in Laurens County for the Oconee Regional Library System.
“It was always a satisfying feeling when I could find the answer they needed,” said Evans. “However, it was even more satisfying when I would teach someone how to find the answer themselves, thereby empowering that customer with knowledge that he/she didn’t have when they walked through the doors.”
“We are fortunate in Dougherty County to have someone like Ms. Evans to take the helm of our library system,” said Michael McCoy, Dougherty County Administrator. “Although she has big shoes to fill with Ms. Abidde’s retirement, I have no doubt that she will continue the mission that has been established and take it even further to ensure our library system in Dougherty County remains one of the best in the State of Georgia and the country.”
“The Board of Trustees of the Dougherty County Library is happy to welcome Ms. Gail Evans as our new director,” said Walter Kelley, Chairman. “We are confident Ms. Evans has the credentials, experience, and personality to support the library’s mission, ‘To Strengthen our Community by Inspiring, Encouraging, and Supporting life-long learning for all.’”
Evans and her husband, Eric, have relocated to Albany and are looking forward to immersing themselves in their new community, one that they feel at home with its small-town feel like Albany. They have one son, Alexander, who resides in College Park, Georgia, and are the proud parents of one fur baby, Max, their Boxer, who they say is spoiled rotten.
Original source can be found here.
Source: County of Dougherty
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