Guilford Employee Recognized For Lifesaving Action, Service To Community

GUILFORD, CT — Adult Services Supervisory Librarian Lisa Coady is the latest recipient of the Guilford Employee Recognition Award, the town announced this week.

First Selectman Matt Hoey, who created the program, has encouraged employees to nominate colleagues whose performance and achievements stand out. The Employee Recognition Awards Committee chose Coady after she was nominated by Guilford Free Library Director Rob McCoole.

McCoole cited an incident in August in which Coady discovered a man unconscious in the library’s Reading Room. She immediately directed a patron to call 911, asked another to begin chest compressions, and retrieved the defibrillator, actions McCoole said helped save the man’s life.

Beyond that episode, McCoole said Coady has designed and maintained the library’s website, saving the library and town thousands of dollars. She also took over the Monday Night Movie Series in 2018 and developed it into a popular weekly program that includes refreshments.

Coady is also known for helping patrons — particularly seniors — navigate technical issues with their electronic devices, often resolving complex problems and "taking all encounters to another level," McCoole said.

Coady began working part-time at the library in 2017, became a full-time public service librarian in 2018, and was promoted to Adult Services Supervisory Librarian in 2023.

She received a certificate and a gift card from Hoey in recognition of her award.