New library director a familiar face
“Of the 23 candidates who applied for the position of Library Director, we discovered the ideal Library Director was right under our nose,” said Victoria Fortuna, President of the Rappahannock County Public Library Board of Trustees.
On Aug. 13, it was announced that Amanda Weakley, who has worked at the library for ten years, will o cially step into the new role as director.
“Amanda has been running the library very well over the last few months, culling and reviewing the materials in the collection, and improving the monthly data collection and reporting on library statistics that is required by the Library of Virginia and the board of trustees,” Fortuna wrote in an email to this newspaper.
A er David Sha er resigned from the position in June, Weakley began serving as interim director and her promotion to the position was touted as a “no-brainer.”
“She has stepped into David’s role seamlessly,” Fortuna wrote, “and prepared and implemented her protocols for curbside delivery of materials and opening of the Library during the pandemic. These actions as well as her experience as the Youth Services Librarian and Assistant Director, and her deep roots in the community, were seen as major assets that she will bring to the position of Library Director.”
Weakley said she is “thrilled” about the announcement. “My goal is to continue enhancing library services and programs while maintaining our welcoming atmosphere. I am particularly excited to embrace new technological applications and lead during a time of building expansion,” she wrote in an email to the Rappahannock News.
Weakley continued: “The library is more than a collection of books (although I am proud of our book collection), it is very much a community center that evolves and grows with the community around it. I am grateful for the opportunity to work in such a special place, and I encourage anyone to contact me if there are ways the library can better serve you.”