A face familiar to the New Hampshire library community during the past two decades will no longer be seen regularly at the State Library. After serving at the library for over sixteen years, Matthew Higgins, Administrator of Library Operations, has announced his retirement as of July 6, 1998.

Higgins, a professional librarian for twenty-three years, came to the State Library in 1982 when he was appointed as Assistant State Librarian. Subsequently he was named State Librarian and served in that position until 1990 when he assumed his present position. Before coming to New Hampshire, Higgins was Chief of Planning and Development at the Rhode Island Department of State Library Services. He also held the position of director at the Greenville (RI) Public Library and was a library research assistant at the University of Rhode Island. His earliest library experience came during his hitch in the U.S. Navy when he "volunteered" to be in charge of the library on board his ship.

A graduate of the University of Connecticut, he holds a master of arts degree from Trinity College (Hartford), a master of library science degree from the University of Rhode Island, and a doctorate in library administration from Simmons College in Boston.

During most of his time at the State Library, Higgins has been the editor of Granite State Libraries and has contributed items to various other library publications. He has also been actively involved in the New Hampshire Library Association, serving as the association's archivist and federal relations coordinator for the past nine years. He is also a member of the American Library Association; the New England Library Association; the Association of College and Research Libraries; the New England Archivists; the New Hampshire Archivists Group; and the Committee to Preserve the Documentary Heritage of New Hampshire.

In his various capacities at the State Library, his responsibilities have included the administration of the library; long-range planning; administration of the Library Services and Construction Act; preservation and conversation of library materials; development of grant guidelines and applications; the day-to-day operation of the library; and the total State Library program as it serves state government.

Higgins says that he will continue to work with New Hampshire libraries but at this time no firm plan is in place. He will certainly be using libraries as he pursues his many other interests - from crossword puzzle construction to research and writing in the various aspects of local and state history.