With all that Nicole Brown has accomplished in nearly three decades at Rodman Public Library, it is the friendships that she has made that she cherishes the most.
“I will miss seeing the people that I work with every day,” said Brown as she talks about her retirement that will start on July 7.
However, there are three other people that she looks forward to spending more time with --- her husband, Eric, whom she married in 2013, and her two sons, Isaac, 7, and Gabriel, 4.
“I am retiring to be at home with my family,” said Brown, who has worked in nearly every department at RPL during her 28-year career that she started as a page and will end with her leaving as head of circulation and adult programming.
“The library will obviously miss Nicole's expertise and experience,” said Rodman Public Library executive director Eric Taggart. “She uses her knowledge of the Alliance community to help her to plan programs and select materials, and she was also very helpful to me in getting to know the community. I'll miss working with her, but I know that she is looking forward to this next stage in her life."
When Brown started working at Rodman Library, she didn’t expect to be a librarian.
In 1995, she took an after-school job as a page in the children’s department and for the bookmobile.
After graduating from Alliance High School in 1997, she continued part-time employment at the library while attending Mount Union, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and majored in political science with aspirations of being a lawyer.
Even through her reign as the 1998 Greater Alliance Carnation Festival queen, Brown worked part-time at Rodman Library during the academic year and full-time during summer breaks.
By the time she graduated in 2001 from Mount Union, she had decided against a career in law and was exploring other opportunities.
That’s when Roselyn Stephens, who was then the head of extension services at the library offered her a full-time position as an assistant librarian, splitting her time between the reference department and acquisitions.
“I decided to take that job but I thought it would be temporary,” said Brown. “Roselyn kept telling me that I should go to library school, but I thought I was going to find something different.”
However, Brown found that she enjoyed working at the library.
In 2003, she took over as head of extension services for Stephens, overseeing the operations at the branch and on the bookmobile.
Around the same time, she proved Stephens right and enrolled in library school at Kent State University, earning a master’s of library science degree in 2005.
Brown added head of adult circulation and programming to her duties in 2011 and also continued to serve as head of extension services through 2015.
Brown says she is proud of having been part of the Rodman Library team for nearly three decades and having been an integral part of its operations.
“I have had the chance to work in a variety of departments and do many things while I have worked here,” said Brown. “I really enjoyed coming up with programs.”
One of those programs was the ultra-popular Maker Monday, a monthly crafting program that usually has a waiting list of those who want to participate. With Brown’s retirement, the program will continue under the leadership of Debbie Mikesell, who assisted Brown with the program.
Brown also noted being a part of the group that researched and purchased the current bookmobile and helping to oversee the branch’s move to its current location as highlights to her career.
“Many things have changed over 28 years, but my favorite memories really will be the friendships I have made,” said Brown, who has also been active in several community organizations and activities.
A member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Brown has been a member of the One Book One Community committee, Alliance Historical Society, Alliance Woman’s Club, Coterie, the Women’s Division of the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival Board (past president), and the Alliance Rotary Club (secretary 2008-2016 and Rotarian of the Year in 2008).
“Rodman Library has been a great place to spend my career,” said Brown “I am happy I was able to stay in my hometown and contribute to our community.”