WILLIAMSBURG – After a successful five-year tenure as the director of Meekins Library, Katie Kroll will be retiring at the end of June.
Kroll, 67, of Easthampton, said that over the past six months she has been contemplating her retirement and thought that reaching her five-year mark at the library was a good time to step down.
“Being here has been fantastic,” Kroll said. “Williamsburg is such a wonderful community and they really do use and love their library.”
Pat Billingsley, chairwoman of the library’s trustees, had high praise for the outgoing director and said Kroll’s leaving came as sad news to the board.
“We are heartbroken and we will miss her terribly,” Billingsley said.
Billingsley described Kroll as a very positive force for the library, noting that Kroll had a knack for forging good relationships with the community as well as the other departments in town.
“She has been excellent,” Billingsley said. “She has done a lot of community outreach and encouraged community participation, she single-handedly launched our May Faire which is wildly popular, and she shepherded along programs that were already in place like our summer reading program and book group for adults.”
Billingsley said that Kroll has maintained the library’s Neil Hammer Gallery as an active place for artists to show their work and speakers to give presentations.
She also credited Kroll with streamlining policies and procedures and being a good and creative steward of the library’s budget.
Looking back at her time at Meekins, Kroll said that the annual May Faire, a grand celebration of spring complete with themed programs and books, madrigal singers, artists, wizards, jesters, and the construction of fairy houses, is something that has always been near and dear to her heart.
Aside from that medieval style spring of merriment, one of the accomplishments that she says she is most proud of is organizing the development of the libraries new website.
“We were really lacking before,” Kroll said. “Now we have a very professional website that we can make changes and updates to anytime so we can always keep it fresh.”
With a large bequest left to the library by Evelyn Kmit 14 or 15 years ago, Kroll created a position for a children’s librarian who has been able to run robust programs like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), a LEGO club, kids’ book club, and thematic holiday events.
With her retirement three months away, Kroll says she is looking forward to “something I hear is called relaxation.” She also plans to spend a lot more time in her garden.
The board of trustees is now accepting applications for a new director.
“We hope to have someone on board just before or at the time that she leaves on June 30th,” Billingsly said. “Katie has done a wonderful job making sure everything is in place so that the new person will be ready to step right in.”
CUMMINGTON – It’s sugaring season, and at the Bryant Homestead visitors can experience this New England tradition as it was done in the 1860s.
This month, there will be pancake breakfasts at the historic homestead of William Cullen Bryant, complete with pure maple syrup produced in the Hilltowns.
Historic outdoor boiling demos, house tours, walks through the property’s 200-year-old sugar bush, and sap water samples straight from tapped trees are part of the activities.
The sugaring season events will be March 9 and 10, and 16 and 17, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Admission for members is $9 for adults and $5 for children. For non-members admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children For more information, call 413-200-7262.
CHESTERFIELD – The Hilltown CDC has partnered with the Berkshire United Way and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity to provide VITA Volunteer Tax Assistance Program to the Hilltowns.
IRS-trained volunteers are now available for day, evening, and weekend appointments at the following locations: The Helen E. James building in Williamsburg, the Community Center in Chesterfield, and the Village Enterprise Center in Chester.
People whose household income is $54,000 or less and does not include self-employment or rental income qualify for this free service. Appointments are required and can be made by calling 413-296-4536 ext. 100.
Ideas for this column on life in the Hilltowns can be sent to Fran Ryan at fryan.gazette@gmail.com