Library Director
Dawn Bussey
Finance/HR Director
Maria Tachna
Materials Processing Manager
Ann Marie Lindsey
Information Technology Director
Joe Halter
Building Engineer
Dennis McCarthy
Adult Department Director
Maggie Thomann
“It is in the process of embracing our imperfections that we find our truest gifts: courage, compassion, and connection.” — Brene Brown
Maggie has devoted her career to working in public libraries, and is happy to be a part of the Glen Ellyn Public Library team after working in several other Chicago suburban libraries. Her specialties include leadership, change management, and collection development. Outside of the library, Maggie spends her time reading domestic thrillers and women’s fiction, binging reality TV, spending time outside, and watching soccer.
Adult Department Assistant Director and Readers Advisory Librarian
Brenna Murphy
“The world was hers for the reading.” — Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Brenna is excited to help you find your next great read! She loves to talk books and would be happy to help you try a new genre, discover ebooks, or get materials for your book club. She reads across all genres, but her favorites are mystery, historical, and literary fiction.
Adult Programming Librarian
Jeanine Vaughn
“All that you touch, you change. All that you change, changes you. The only lasting truth is change.” — Octavia Butler
Jeanine (she/they) has many passions including animal advocacy, camping, social justice, storytelling, theater, writing, and reading (psychology, sci fi/fantasy, horror, and memoirs are often among the selections). She believes that everyone has the power to change their world. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are always part of how she creates programs. Jeanine also wants to know about your passions, what you’re reading, and any programming ideas you have.
Community Information Coordinator and Instruction Librarian
Elizabeth Clower
“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” — Haruki Murakami
A skilled librarian, Elizabeth has experience working with multiple community entities, including nonprofits, private and public organizations, and governmental entities. Creating working partnerships is her specialty.
Elizabeth believes a library is a portal to a deeper universe and a broader horizon. She loves to read non-fiction as well as murder mysteries and works by authors from countries she’s never visited. She also believes two heads are better than one, and looks at “helping” as collaborating. You bring as much to the interaction as she does. So collaborate with her the next time you have a question!
Young Adult Librarian
Joshua O'Shea
“Certainly, set goals and strive toward excellence, but to live a life full of joy, you’ll need to embrace whatever you enjoy regardless of your skill level; anything worth being done is worth being done badly.” — Cami Ostman using Gil Chesterton.
Josh sees the library as a place to explore, grow and create. His passion is to provide a high-grade experience for everyone, offering the same services to every person and tailoring to individual needs. He’s especially excited to work with young adults to make the library a safe space for enjoyment and collaboration.
Outreach Librarian
Tanya King
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” — Nora Ephron
Tanya has a wealth of experience promoting, marketing, and handling the communication needs of public, private, and academic libraries. In addition, she is an accomplished library fundraiser. After spending over a decade behind the scenes, Tanya felt called to front-line public service. Her favorite part of being a librarian is helping people navigate information to find exactly what they are looking for. In her limited free time she likes to travel, hike and read.
Adult Reference Librarian
Carol Waller
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
Carol enjoys helping people find the information they need. She loves working with the library’s collection of materials including purchasing books, dvds and periodicals. Her hobbies include reading, quilting, and watching the Lord of the Rings movies over and over again.
Adult Reference Librarian
Brigitte Bell
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” — Neil Gaiman
Brigitte always had a love of books and libraries. Her favorite part of being a librarian is working with the public and being a source of helpfulness and happiness to members of the local community. She enjoys matching people with programs, resources and services which will improve their daily lives.
Adult Associate
Chris Swearson
“A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.” — Chinese Proverb
Chris has been an avid reader since before the 1st grade and still enjoys devouring a book a week. She loves fantasy, historical fiction, mysteries and humorous literary fiction, and will happily share favorite titles with library members.
Adult Department Librarian
Tyler Hicks
Adult Associate
Denisa Eltigani
Adult Associate
Rosalind Watkins
Cafe Manager
Rob Benes
Cafe Assistant
Bri Metcalf
Library Services Director
Theresa Lang
Library Services Assistant Director
Liz Scheiner
Library Services Supervisor and Meeting Room Coordinator
Sara Youngs
Library Services Supervisor
Amy Sheneman
Library Services Clerk
Maryann Vintika
Library Services Clerk
Eli Onufrock
Library Services Clerk
Nicole Pinto
Library Services Clerk
Debra Leakakos
Library Services Clerk
Kathleen McAdams
Library Services Clerk
Liz Carter
Library Services Clerk
Megan Supert
Library Services Clerk
Elena Basileti
Library Services Clerk
Emma Ronne
Library Services Clerk
Adrienne Golbeck
Library Services Clerk
Monica Guzman
Library Services Clerk
Claire Costelo
Marketing Manager
Rachael Flewelling
Media Production, Social Media, and Email Marketing Associate
Joey McKenna
Youth Department Director
Christina Keasler
“The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives.” — Roald Dahl, Matilda
As a child, Christina actually played library — not store or house, but library — and becoming a librarian just made sense. When she’s not teaching kids how to do something awesome, she’s learning new technologies or working with the 3D printer. She loves reading and movies, and can even appreciate a bad movie adaptation.
Youth Department Assistant Director
Sophie Kenney
“When there are many worlds, you can choose the one you walk into each day.” — Jacqueline Woodson, Brown Girl Dreaming
In every stage of life, Sophie has looked to libraries to help her learn, connect with others and explore the world around us. She is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and loves reading books about and meeting people different than herself. Sophie teaches youth technology classes and plays the ukulele, but hasn’t tried doing both at the same time yet.
Youth Community Engagement Librarian
Melissa Hilt
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” — Walt Disney
Melissa loves the Glen Ellyn Public Library so much that she just keeps coming back! Growing up, she knew she wanted to work with kids and combined this love with her love to read. She enjoyed working at the library as a teen. Her responsibilities include booking outside performers to educate and entertain our young readers and coordinating Summer Reading.
Middle School Librarian
Beth Kirchenberg
“Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens.” — Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind
Beth joined the Library in May 2022. She manages the graphic novel, video game, and Middle collections and programs. She has worked in libraries since she was fourteen. Other than reading, she enjoys concerts of all kinds and dabbles in all the crafts – from crochet to gouache painting to cross-stitch. If there is time travel featured in a book, she will read it.
Early Literacy Librarian
Catherine Almendinger
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” — John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
Catherine was raised in a family of readers. She became a librarian to share her love of books with others and does so in Book Babies, After School Stories and Glen Ellyn Preschool classrooms. But if you don’t want to talk about books, she’d be happy to talk about the Green Bay Packers, popcorn or her current favorite recipe.
School Liaison
Amy Waters
“I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.” — Anna Quindlen
Amy Waters has been at GEPL since 2001, when her children were students in Glen Ellyn. She grew up surrounded by books, biking to the library, and later working at a succession of bookstores starting with Kroch’s and Brentano’s. She has 16 bookshelves in her home and is ready to talk about what you’re reading!
Youth Reference Librarian
Kate Easley
“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.” — Dr. Seuss
Kate loves reading and working with kids, so being a youth librarian is the perfect fit. Her favorite parts of the job are doing storytimes and working with the homeschooling families. Her favorite books as a kid were Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and The Babysitters Club. Other than reading, she loves dancing, theater and being outside.
Youth Programming Associate
Alexa Moffat
“You can’t pick out the pieces you like and leave the rest. Being a part of the whole thing, that’s the blessing.” — Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting
As a child, Alexa could often be found curled up in her bed late at night reading a Nancy Drew mystery by flashlight. In 20 years, not much has changed. She began her career as a first-grade teacher and loves sharing good books with children. Alexa is energized by seeing children’s imaginations come alive as they read and explore new topics.
Youth Reference Librarian
Cathy Mori
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip….” — Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard
The day she learned how to read Cathy excitedly ran home from school, eager to share the joy of reading with her family. She’s been reading ever since and as a child would often have to be told to “put the book down and go outside and play.” When she’s not reading she enjoys digging into her family history and working on the occasional craft project. Cathy also speaks Japanese.
Youth Associate
Jacquei Hyde-Young
“There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you… until the day you begin to share your stories. And all at once, in the room where no one else is quite like you, the world opens itself up a little wider to make some space for you.” — Jacqueline Woodson, The Day You Begin
Jacquei has always found herself at home when she walks into a library. There may not always be familiar faces, but the welcoming atmosphere, overabundant number of materials, and other unique offerings give her plenty to enjoy and explore. Aside from reading and taking “field trips” to other libraries whenever she can, Jacquei loves spending time with her children, going to concerts, and cheese. Jacquei is super excited to meet everyone who walks in, so stop in and say “Hi!”