LIBRARY ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Tompkins County Legislature has voted to approve the appointment of two new members to the Tompkins County Public Library’s Board of Trustees.

Board President Henrik N. Dullea announced the unanimous appointment of Aloja Airewele and Peter McCracken to the Library’s 15-member board. Airewele and McCracken will replace Rochelle Proujansky, whose term expired at the end of 2009, and Richard Driscoll, who stepped down earlier this year after being elected Supervisor of the Town of Newfield.

Airewele, of Freeville, is a legislative assistant for Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and supervisor for the Tompkins County Chapter of the American Red Cross’ Homeless Services Program. Airewele served as a family physician in his native Nigeria and as a founder and pastor of the New Covenant Church in Edmonton, London, before moving to the United States with his family in 1997. He is a recognized speaker at several area churches and has spoken at Cornell and Harvard Universities.

“The Tompkins County Public Library has been a wonderful resource for my family,” Airewele said. “It has enriched us so much, and I would like to contribute to its growth.”

McCracken, of Trumansburg, has masters degrees in library science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and in maritime history from East Carolina University. He is the co-founder and director of content and business development for ShipIndex.org. He previously served as a reference and instructional librarian and coordinator of reference services for the Odegaard Undergraduate Library at the University of Washington and as a reference librarian with the rank of assistant professor at Joyner Library of East Carolina University.

McCracken cited his knowledge of Libraries and his use of TCPL as motivators for joining the board.

"I'm excited by the opportunity to invest my knowledge and experience in a local organization that I use regularly and care about," McCracken said.

Dullea said Airewele and McCracken will bring invaluable experience and enthusiasm to the board.

"I am delighted to welcome Aloja and Peter to the Library board," Dullea said. "Their impressive resumes and personal connections to TCPL and the community as a whole will serve us well as we look to the future growth and continued success of our Library."

For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248.