For immediate release
Contact Allen McGinley
amcginley@wmlnj.org 908.789.4090 ext 4119
or Roz Giuditta wmlpr@wmlnj.org 908.789.4090 ext 7952
Westfield Memorial Library announces new Director
(September 20, 2021) The Board of Trustees of the Westfield Memorial Library has appointed Allen McGinley to be the new Director of the Library.
Most recently, McGinley served as the Director of the Teaneck Public Library, a position he has held since 2018. Prior to working in the Township of Teaneck, he held several positions at the Piscataway Public Library, including Associate Director, Branch Manager, and Head of User Services. With two additional years at The New York Public Library, he has more than 15 years of experience in the library field.
Among his accomplishments during his tenure at Teaneck Public Library, McGinley is most proud of the development and launch of the Jean Greenfield Mobile Makerspace, which provides residents of all ages with opportunities for hands-on learning experiences including coding, sewing, robotics, and 3D printing. In the spring of 2020, the library’s 3D printer was used to produce much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck and The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
McGinley also brings a passion for embedding early literacy experiences throughout the community. He collaborated with the Township of Teaneck and the Teaneck Rotary Club to create Together in Teaneck, an inclusive StoryWalk™ at one of Teaneck’s popular municipal parks. The StoryWalk consists of 20 permanent displays, each containing two pages of a picture book behind a plexiglass surface on the theme of diversity and inclusion, with the stories being rotated on a bi-monthly basis.
He also received a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in spring 2021 to expand free public outdoor WIFI in the Teaneck Public Library parking lot and adjacent reading garden.
What attracted McGinley to Westfield is the vibrant and highly engaged nature of Westfield, and its energetic and dynamic mixture of families, professionals, seniors, and service-oriented community partners.
“A public library is more than just a building; it’s a combination of information, resources, services, and experiences,” he said. “A successful 21st century library needs to be fully embedded into the fabric of the community. This type of community-centered orientation has the potential to not only result in innovative new library services, but also have a transformative effect on the community as a whole.”
McGinley has been the recipient of several honors during his career including the Library Journal Movers & Shakers Award for Community Building in 2012, a Public Relations Award from the New Jersey Library Association in 2018, and a Certificate of Appreciation from Libraries of Middlesex in 2010. He was also recognized as an Emerging Leader by the New Jersey Library Association in 2009, and the American Library Association in 2010.
He is currently the 2nd Vice President of the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) and serves on the Executive Board of New Jersey Makers Day as Board Development Officer.
According to Board President Michelle Habayeb, “Allen comes to WML with strong experience in reimagining library spaces, creating community connections, and weaving the library into the fabric of the community. He is passionate about people – more specifically, he is dedicated to providing responsive, engaging customer service and working to ensure the success, happiness, and effectiveness of staff and colleagues.”
Currently the hours for the library are Monday – Thursday 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 to 4:30 pm.
Learn more about library programs and services for children and adults on the website www.wmlnj.org and on Facebook at facebook.com/wmlnj. Library programs can also be viewed on the library’s You Tube channel, which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/user/westfieldmemoriallib, or by clicking on the You Tube icon on the library’s website. To receive the weekly e-newlsetter “Library Loop,” visit the website and sign up with an email address.