at your library

 

Zach Roberts, Director of the Pamunkey Regional Library

The new director of the Pamunkey Regional Library (PRL), Zach Roberts, hired after a careful search, was introduced to the Goochland Board of Supervisors at its September 4 meeting by the county’s representatives on the PRL board, trustees Barbara Young and Barbara Slone.

Roberts comes to PRL from Prince William County, where he served as senior library manager for public libraries with its school division. He has worked in public libraries for more than two decades in roles ranging from frontline public service and programming to senior management. He has a bachelor of arts degree from Purdue with a double major in political science and history, a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Arkansas State University.

Then in his new position for just 13 days, Roberts told the supervisors that he was in the process of meeting with every member of the PRL team to find out what they need from him and assess the activities of the library including service areas, programming, and community engagement. He plans to analyze PRL’s structure to identify possible improvements and expansions. Roberts pledged to be an advocate for PRL staff and looks forward to collaborating with the supervisors and staff to better serve the community.

Young gave an update on other PRL activities. Prince William County left the PRL system as of July first, leaving Goochland and Hanover in PRL. The board of trustees now has seven members, five from Hanover and two from Goochland. In addition to the Goochland Branch Library in Courthouse Village, there are PRL branches in Rockville and Montpelier.

Going forward, trustee meetings, said Young, will include the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Roberts is in the process of purchasing American flags for each branch community room.

PRL has acquired a new van to move materials among branches every day. The Richmond Times Dispatch is now available electronically to PRL cardholders.

As the Virginia Library Association annual conference will be held in Richmond this year, PRL staff will be offered the opportunity to attend.

Barbara Slone, newly elected vice chair of the PRL board, reported that Ace Phillips has been hired as the PRL business operations manager. The audit for the 2025 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, is underway and going well.

Slone said that the PRL audit committee, created a few years ago to address fiscal problems, has been rolled into the finance committee. PRL staff will present its preliminary FY27 budget to the trustees in the next few weeks.

As electronic checkouts are getting more popular, they are being tracked more carefully. The number of items that patrons may check out has increased from five to seven per month. Check out limits for “Libby” and “Hoopla” other electronic material providers available to PRL members, have also gone up.

Overdue billing notices are being emailed and mailed out.

The summer reading program at the Goochland Branch Library was very successful, placing us second out of seven participating libraries. A bottle filler has been installed at the library.

Slone urged everyone to stop by the library to see the tiny art show, the brainchild of a staff member, who distributed 100 four by four-inch canvas boards during the summer reading program. Patrons were encouraged to paint, color, or collage, and return to the library. Fifty were returned and are currently displayed at the library showcasing the incredible talent of Goochlanders.

PRL provides a wide range of services to its patrons. Library cards are free to residents of Goochland County. Go to the PRL website www.pamunkeylibrary.org and click on the “ask a question” tab for details on obtaining your library card and services provided. The library is located at 3075 River Road West, Goochland 23063.