Cherry Hill Library Picks New Director

The Cherry Hill Public Library will have a new director at the end of the month, after the library Board of Trustees approved a candidate during a special meeting last week.

Laverne Mann, who has been managing director of the Westergard branch of the Piscataway Public Library and senior librarian at the Ewing branch of the Mercer County Library, was named to replace former director Manuel Paredes, who resigned in December.

Mann, who is chair of the New Jersey Library Association’s Member Services Committee, takes over officially Feb. 25, and said she looks forward to the new position.

“I am thrilled to join the Cherry Hill Public Library, and I look forward to improving upon the services we currently offer,” Mann said in a statement. “We will be adding new, creative programs for all populations, from babies to seniors, as well as expanding our outreach and building stronger partnerships with Cherry Hill township and our schools.

“Through innovative ideas, my vision is to make the Cherry Hill Public Library the best municipal library in New Jersey.”

The decision to hire Mann came with praise from Mayor Chuck Cahn.

“Laverne has the talent, experience and creativity needed to expand the library’s programs and services to benefit the entire Cherry Hill community,” Cahn said. “The library is more than just books, it’s the heart of our town, and I am confident that Laverne’s energy and direction will allow it to grow and flourish.”

Beyond her experience, Mann has also received accolades—in 2009, Library Journal named her a “Mover and Shaker” for her work in Ewing, which included expanding the library’s collection of graphic novels and developing the idea of a library as a technology hub.

“We are excited about our library’s future under Laverne’s leadership,” said library board President Diane Koury Alessi. “Laverne’s credentials are impressive, and we are proud to have her at the helm of the Cherry Hill Public Library.”