HOOKSETT PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTOR FRAN HEBERT RETIRES

Fran began her Hooksett library career in the tiny Arah Prescott Memorial Library building in 1968. She was not fazed by the lack of indoor plumbing nor the 16 steep steps it took to get to the library. Her job description included shoveling the walk, cleaning the library, helping patrons carry their books down the 16 steps and anything else that needed to be done. She remained in this building until 1973, when, as a result of her tireless efforts and her trustees, Hooksett purchased a former office building to be used as a library and Fran, at last, had sufficient space and indoor plumbing. She set about building the library collection, with a strong emphasis on the children's collection and the adult fiction for which her patrons clamored. She accomplished wonders with a minute staff and an equally minute budget.

From the very beginning, Fran has had a way of getting the most from her staff and the biggest possible bang for every dollar she spends. She possesses a great deal of common sense, which very often is used to manage a diverse staff and serve an even more diverse patron population. She has trained her staff that service to patrons is their most important responsibility and that training results in many compliments about how friendly and helpful the staff is.

Fran has a very high credibility level, the respect of town officials and has a reputation for being very frugal with town funds. If Fran says that the library needs something, then officials can be sure that this is indeed a necessary expense. As a result of the esteem in which Fran is held, library budgets are usually accepted pretty much as requested and the relationship between the library and other town departments is exceptionally strong. She has mentored many a new department head, and contributed to the establishment of a team spirit within town government, always suggesting common sense approaches to community problems.

Fran takes seriously her responsibilities to educate herself about modern library techniques and has always been open to new ideas and better ways to do things. She has taken many courses through the State Library and encourages her staff to take full advantage of all the educational opportunities available to them. She was an early supporter of the Greater Manchester Integrated Library Cooperative System, Inc. (GMILCS), and has been an advocate of as much technology to be made available for patrons as our budget can support.

In 1997, after several years of investigating alternatives for expanding an overstuffed and cramped library, Hooksett town officials negotiated the acquisition of the old Mount St. Mary's Library building to be used as a new library building. After an arduous year of working with the Trustees on fast track renovation plans, Fran moved her staff to this wondrous 25,000 square foot building which houses not only all the library functions, but also has a 4,000 square foot meeting room as well as a host of smaller meeting spaces. She has risen to the challenge and is immensely enjoying the luxury of space that affords her the opportunity to fashion increased programming and expanded book collections. She has accomplished this with a very small addition of staff hours, given the size of the building and she maintains her well-deserved reputation for frugality.

Fran was recognized by the N.H. Library Trustees Association as their Librarian of the Year in 2001 for her many contributions to the New Hampshire library community.