COUNTY NAMES NEW CHIEF OF COUNTY LIBRARIES
MIDDLETOWN >> Delaware County native Catherine Bittle, a literacy advocate with 15 years of experience in the field of Library Sciences, is the new director of Delaware County Libraries (DCL), the Delaware County agency that supports 26 member libraries throughout the county.
Delaware County Council announced that Bittle replaces David Belanger, who retired in May after 20 years of services as the director of DCL.
County Councilman Dave White, Council’s liaison to DCL, hosted a luncheon for the staff at library services to welcome Bittle to her post at DCL on the campus of the Fair Acres complex in Middletown.
Bittle was the director of Ridley Township Public Library for eight years, and the Children’s Services Librarian at Ridley for five years prior to being named county director. Under her leadership, the Ridley Township Library launched a new website to engage more residents in library activities, revitalized a Friends of the Ridley Library group, and she facilitated securing a Keystone Grant to expand the library.
In 2013, she was selected to attend the Pennsylvania Library Association’s Academy of Leadership Studies and she is a recipient of the Laura Bush Growing New Librarians grant.
“I would like to inspire residents to see their local libraries as the hearts of the community, and to utilize all of the wonderful programs, events and services that Delaware County libraries offer,” Bittle said Monday, Aug. 22, her first day.
Bittle is a graduate of Ridley High School. She earned a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration from Widener University and earned her master’s degree in library sciences from Clarion University.
“We have one of the richest, most active library systems in the state and we are pleased that Catherine Bittle is going to bring her knowledge and passion for books to our library system,” said Councilman White. “She is creative and has strong leadership skills and she will make a great partner to our wonderful libraries throughout the county.”
Bittle and her husband of 30 years, Mark, live in Morton with their son, Sean, and a rescued dog and two cats. When it comes to books, her favorite subject matter is historical fiction. She just finished reading “Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral” by Mary Russell.
Earlier this year, DCL launched a new website at www.delcolibraries.org that gives residents a countywide view of all that their libraries offer.