Two different women with the same first name run library branches within the Nassau County Library System.
Susan McKenney has served for nearly 17 years while Susan Stanley has been employed for six years, with three of those as a librarian. Both women reside in Yulee.
McKenney previously worked at each branch within Nassau County after working for the UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension Office. She returned to the Bryceville branch in October, having served at the location in years past.
“Of all the people to leave Bryceville people to, she’s wonderful,” Stanley said of her replacement.
“I love Bryceville,” McKenney said. “I love the people. There’s a lot of really nice people that were here when I was here before. It’s terrific.”
Stanley also enjoyed the camaraderie with Bryceville residents but is equally happy to be the branch librarian at Hilliard. She replaces Rosemary Szczygiel, who transferred to the Yulee Branch.
“I love it,” Stanley said. “I miss the people of Bryceville, but there are wonderful people here too. I’m just doubly blessed. I get to meet more.”
McKenney’s career allows her to cultivate a love for reading.
“There’s nothing about books I don’t like,” McKenney said. “I’ve been an avid reader ever since I learned how to read. Theoretically, there’s nothing you can’t do if you can read. If you can read the instructions, you can do it.”
A certified library assistant 3 through the American Library Association, McKenney enjoys making suggestions for books and other publications.
“I love to do reader advisories and tell people what to read, especially fiction,” she said. “That’s my most favorite thing to do.”
McKenney is also a purist when it comes to selecting reading materials, opting for traditional books instead of e-books.
“I still read the book,” she said. “I love the way they feel in your hands. When I read, I like to hear it in my own mind. I feel like when I hear someone else’s voice or their inflection, it changes the story for me.”
More importantly, it’s what McKenney can accomplish for visitors who browse up to 7,599 inventory items, including children and adult DVDs, CDs, newspapers, periodicals, juvenile and young adult books, fiction, nonfiction and large print materials. She is also responsible for coordinating inner-library loans and loans from libraries in other states.
“The requests come to me and I try to find a library that will loan them out to me and I process them and send them to the patron,” McKenney said. “We also loan books to out-of-county libraries and I process those as well.”
Volunteer Jessica Morton assists with shelving book returns, clearing book drops and retrieving mail. She has volunteered at the branch for six years.
“I get to see all the new stuff,” she said, adding that she likes, “Checking out the books and DVDs.”
Heather Griffin is Library Assistant 2 at Hilliard. She helps to ensure that programs and services run smoothly.
“Heather is wonderful,” Stanley said. “She’s very knowledgeable and loves books. We both feel the same in that we both feel that we both want to help and both want to serve the community.”
Online access is also available at both branches.
“You can do just about anything on the computer,” McKenney said.
Visitors may create job resumes, file tax returns, conduct job searches and government research, email, print pay stubs and access the Internet.
“We have some seniors so it’s nice for them to not have to drive so far to get to a library,” McKenney said.
The branch also offers an electronic cloud library consisting of e-books that may be stored electronically.
“We’re able to get a better selection,” she said. “If you need help downloading to your electronic device, we’re able to help you with that.”
The available online search engines assist with research, which may not always be easy to find, according to McKinney.
“Anything you need to know can be found at the library and we know how to find it,” she said.
Stanley offers various activities and programs at the Hilliard branch.
She hosts the Brown Bag Book Club on the second Thursday of each month. Book enthusiasts meet to discuss a selected genre. In January the group covered mysteries. February features romance novels while March highlights “The Keeper,” a second in a series of three dystopian novels from David Baldacci. Dystopia is defined as “a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease and overcrowding,” according to dictionary.com.
“Lunch & Learn” is held on the third Thursday of each month. Stanley invites residents to come out and hear professional organizer June Carter outline tips on “The 34-Minute Time Management Process” today at noon.
“Bring your brown bag lunch and learn something,” Stanley said. “I’m trying to provide a wide range of topics. Not just how to declutter but how to put things that are important to you and put them first and learning how to say yes and no to what you’re asked to do.”
Traders Hill Farm visits for a “Lunch & Learn” March 16. A book sale will be held noon to 7 p.m. March 2, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 3 and 9 a.m. to noon March 4 at the Hilliard branch.
Also at the branch, an African-American Read-In is scheduled for Feb. 23 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The West Nassau Mass Choir will also perform.
Citizens may bring a poem or reading selection or join in to listen to others read a two to three minute piece written by an African-American. Folksinger/songwriter and musician “Mrs. Kate” Carpenter performs songs from her new CD “I Think I Can” April 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilliard Branch Library. The public is invited to attend.
The library is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays, noon to 8 p.m.
The Hilliard Branch Library is located at 15821 C.R. 108. Call 904-530-6500. Choose option 4 to learn more.
The Bryceville Branch Library is located at 7280 Motes Rd. Hours of operation are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays, noon to 8 p.m. Call 904-530-6551 or 844-200-7245 to learn more about the branch.