PARSIPPANY — Melissa Kuzma has been chosen by the Parsippany-Troy Hills Library Board of Directors to serve as the new Library Directory. She starts on April 5, 2021. Melissa is currently the Library Director at the East Brunswick Public Library system, since August 2020. According to her LinkedIn profile, she resides in Bound Brook.
Kuzma will replace Jayne Beline who retired from the Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library on October 1, 2020, after serving as Executive Director for the past 30 years.
Kuzma first joined East Brunswick Public Library as Assistant Director in 2016, but she has spent most of her career working in libraries. After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in history, she worked at New York Public Library as a librarian trainee.
“I am very pleased about Parsippany’s new Library Director. This hiring is a long time coming, and they couldn’t have picked a better leader to take the reins. Our Township’s libraries have a lot of exciting developments in store in the months and years ahead, and it’s vitally important that we have somebody with a passion for knowledge and a focus on the community to help lead the way,” said Mayor Michael Soriano.
Kuzma earned her Master’s in Library Sciences at Rutgers, and she worked at New York Public Library and West Orange Public Library as a librarian.
Her career path eventually took her out of the library, working for companies that serve public, academic, and corporate libraries as a project manager for Baker & Taylor and as a product manager for R. R. Bowker. She also worked as the Summit Housing Authority’s Deputy Executive Director.
“I’m thrilled to be coming to the Parsippany Troy Hills Public Library. I feel lucky to be joining such a busy, dynamic library system in a vibrant and diverse community like Parsippany. I’m looking forward to meeting the library staff, getting to know the community, and embarking on the construction project for the new Lake Hiawatha Library. This is an amazing opportunity for the community and I am excited to be a part of it,” said Melissa.
Like any other library professional, Kuzma also has several book recommendations. Some of her favorite books this year have been The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett, and Writers & Lovers by Lily King. She is currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
“The wealth of diversity in Ms. Kuzma’s professional history is an excellent addition to the leadership roles of the town. In her capable hands, the library enters a new era that, as a member of the council, I am in full support of, and as a member of the community, I am personally excited too!,” said Councilwoman Emily Peterson.
Former Library Director Jayne Beline said, “I am sure that Melissa will use her creativity and experience from the East Brunswick library to work with the Library Board and staff to provide great library service to the Parsippany community.”
“We are excited about all the changes going on at the Library and part of that is our new director, Melissa Kuzma. She comes to us from East Brunswick and has many of experience, not all in libraries, which give her a fresh perspective,” stated Ellen Waldman, President of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Library Board of Directors.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Library has three branches: Main branch – 449 Halsey Road – (973) 887-5150; Lake Hiwatha branch – 68 Nokomis Avenue, Lake Hiawatha – (973) 335-0952 and Mt. Tabor branch – 31 Trinity Park, Mount Tabor – (973) 627-9508. Click here to view the website.
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