New Library Director

Laurie Orton Named San Juan Island Library Director

Good news from Beth Helstien at the library:

The Board of Trustees of the San Juan Island Library has announced the selection of Laurie Orton as its new library director. She was selected from nearly forty candidates who applied for the position during a regional and nationwide search.

Orton most recently served as branch manager of the Lydia Malcolm Library in Henderson, Nevada for ten years. Her first day of work at the San Juan Island Library will be February 19, when she will join the regular staff and more than a hundred active volunteers who provide programs and services seven days weekly in the community.

With over twenty years in library work, Orton has spent her time gathering knowledge in a variety of academic and public libraries and departments in Austin, Ann Arbor, Boston, and the Las Vegas area. She also spent some years living in Versailles, France. She has experience in library outreach, reference, children and adult services, digital resources, management, and community relations. She has re-opened long-closed libraries and grown libraries from small, storefront operations to larger, stand-alone buildings.

Describing herself as passionate about her love of libraries, Orton says, “I find great joy in refining a good library into a remarkable one which embodies good customer service, creative problem-solving and forward thinking.” She adds, “I’m eager to begin the job of library director and to work closely with the trustees, the staff, the volunteers and the residents to ensure that the San Juan Island Library offers the best library services possible.”

She replaces Marjorie Harrison, who left the library at the end of October to take a position with the Oregon State Library in Salem, Oregon.

Library Board of Trustees President Barry Jacobson notes, “Ms. Orton’s credentials and references were quite impressive. After a day full of interviews with her, we found her engaging and knowledgeable. We knew that she was highly qualified and an extremely good fit for our library. She met with the staff, and their review was enthusiastic. We’re looking forward to her arrival as our new library director.”

Orton is excited about relocating to the Pacific Northwest. Following her interviews, she returned several weeks later to spend a number of days exploring the island and the community, after which she said, “I can’t imagine living anywhere else at this point. I’m excited to get to know the community. There seem to be so many activities to do on the island and opportunities to become involved.”

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