Snyder County Libraries director stepping down
Feb. 15—SELINSGROVE — In her last weeks on the job, Snyder County Libraries Executive Director Pam Ross is overseeing the expansion of materials and an upgrade in computer technology at the four branches in Selinsgrove, Middleburg, McClure and Beavertown.
Directing a visitor to a large area inside the Rudy Gelnett Memorial Library in Selinsgrove, Ross gestures to several new shelving units.
"We're expanding the number of large print books," she said, of the jump in interest among readers throughout the county in large print material. "I don't know if it's because readers are getting older or they reading on the treadmill, but (readership of large print) is growing."
Ross will be retiring Feb. 28 from the position she's held nearly 16 years.
Growing up in the northern New York village of Madrid, Ross aspired to work as a librarian. Her first library job after graduating from high school was working at the St. Lawrence University library in Canton, N.Y.
She received her bachelor's degree in political science from Bucknell University and earned a Master's in Women's Studies from the university in 1987. She worked at the libraries at Bucknell and Susquehanna University before — armed with a Master's of Library Science — she took over as director of the Priestley-Forsyth Memorial Library in Northumberland. She held that position for 1 1/2 years before being hired as executive director of the Snyder County Libraries in 2007.
"It was home for me," said Ross, who lived near the Selinsgrove library with her spouse, Deb McFall-Ross, while obtaining her Master's Degree.
One of her most treasured experiences in the 16 years as executive director has been in helping to build the new $3.8 million library, including a separate large children's area, that was dedicated a decade ago.
Another highlight occurred while she was working at the Bertrand Library at Bucknell and helping a man study to become a U.S. citizen. The man learned he passed the test in the evening and showed up at the library with a bouquet of silk yellow flowers for Ross, which she has kept for decades.
On Wednesday, the flowers sat in a box in her office, which she is in the process of clearing out for her successor, David Bauman who has served as director of West Pittston Library in Luzerne and will be moving into his new position in Snyder County on March 6.
Ross, who is also in the midst of overseeing the addition of a new computer network and upgrading of computers at all four branches, hopes to leave a stable and thriving library system.
"I want to leave the libraries in good running order and ready for David to expand with additional programs," she said, adding that Bauman will be working with an excellent staff and library board.
Library board President Brian Knepp credited Ross with guiding the library system through a major renovation project and COVID-19 pandemic.
"Pam has done a great job, not only with the building, but adding programs," he said. "She's put a great staff together. She couldn't do what she's done without the great staff who have skills that will complement David."
In Bauman, Knepp said, the board found a successor with similar skills as Ross and will continue the efforts already underway to expand patron access to technology.
"Libraries are so much more than books and periodicals.. It's more a tech-center... and we were looking for someone with a vision, new ideas on fundraising and grants. It gets harder every year to find those dollars, but libraries play a special role to serve the needs of our area," Knepp said.
Ross said she will be on hand to aid Bauman as he adjusts to his new role, but she and McFall-Ross, a retired police officer, will soon be on the road and visiting their daughter, Tori, 19, who is traveling abroad before enrolling in university.
