Bernardsville Library Director Resigns to Head Chathams Library

Story written by Linda Sadlouskos and Laura Silvius

The Library of the Chathams announced on Thursday that Karen H. Brodsky has been chosen to serve as the new director of that library starting Sept. 1. Brodsky said on Thursday afternoon that she will remain as director of the Bernardsville Public Library through Aug. 31.

Brodsky said she has served as the executive director of the Bernardsville Public Library for the past 11 years and, according to The Library of the Chathams, was director of the Mendham Borough Library before that.

Brodsky added on Thursday afternoon that the Bernardsville Library Board of Trustees was at that time discussing when to set a meeting to address the issue of potentially hiring an acting director.

But Brodsky said she expects the operations at the Bernardsville Library, located at 1 Anderson Hill Road, to continue running smoothly. "We have plans in place, and the staff is wonderful," she said.

Brodsky said of Bernardsville, and of Chatham Borough and Chatham Township, served by the Library of the Chathams, "Both are fabulous communities, but I am ready for a new challenge."

While heading the Bernardsville Library, Brodsky said she was involved with strategic planning, and the automation of many services for the public.

Bernardsville was hard-hit during last year's Superstorm Sandy, and the library staff, led by Brodsky, became part of the borough's emergency management team. Under her leadership, the borough library was ranked highly for consecutive years when compared with other libraries of its size in the state, and on a national basis.

She holds a master's degree in Library Science from Rutgers University, according to the Library of the Chathams.

That Library's announcement was made almost three months after the departure of the previous library director in the Chathams, Diane O'Brien.

Kathleen Rex and Jay Chatterjee, both familiar faces to regular library patrons, have served as interim co-directors while the board searched for a permanent replacement.

"We are very pleased that Karen has agreed to take on this important responsibility," said Fred Pocci, president of the The Board of Trustees for the Library of the Chathams. "We are confident that Karen will bring the necessary talents and skills to lead The library into a very bright future.”