Nina Meister, an Elkins Park resident, took over as director of the Jenkintown Library in August 2021.
A Willow Grove native, Meister spent a good chunk of her teenage years in Jenkintown Borough and is loving being back in the neighborhood.
“I used to shop in Jenkintown when I was in high school. The small businesses are eclectic and beautiful, and you never know what you’re going to find in a store here. Now that I’m working here, it’s really nice to be back in that community,” she said.
Efforts to improve the library’s functions and offerings have been a focus of Meister’s, the results of which include a forthcoming ADA-accessible entrance, an entirely new staff and an award-winning book collection.
The collection, called “In It Together,” won the Pennsylvania Library Association Best Practices Award in 2022.
“It’s meant for all ages, and it was built to facilitate difficult discussions. A lot of societal issues were exacerbated during the pandemic, and we wanted to address those challenges,” she said.
The library recently received a grant to help make the parking lot entrance accessible for people of all needs.
“We want to be welcoming to everybody. We haven’t had an overhaul since the 1980s, so I think we were due. We’re in the process of planning our construction in December and we’ll take bids in February,” Meister said.
Meister and staff are also looking forward to the 150th anniversary of Jenkintown, the history of which the library hopes to showcase.
“That will be a big one for us. We have a lot of history in our archives, and we’re in this beautiful old building that looks like a schoolhouse. We’re looking at events in May. We have the first minutes of the Library Board in 1803, so those will be displayed among other objects of note,” she said.
Grant in hand, another crucial area of focus for Meister is working with Borough officials to increase tax revenue to assist the library’s funding. The increase will be discussed and voted on at the Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, December 6.
“We’re asking the Borough to raise our millage for the first time in 16 years. We want to be able to keep the lights on, so to speak,” Meister said. “The state budget is tied up in knots right now, and funds are limited. Because of the uncertainty and the increase in prices, those tax dollars are necessary. The millage increase would help get us out of that hole.”
All in all, she’s enjoying the new post, and life at the library is good.
“This is the best job I’ve ever had. The town seems to appreciate what we do, and our staff is brilliant. The stars really aligned when I came on board. The board is awesome and we’re doing dynamic, creative things that are catching attention, which hardly ever happens in library land,” Meister said.
For more on the Jenkintown Library, you can visit their Facebook page and website.
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Photos: Nina Meister