Q&A: Perry Hall Library's New Branch Manager Talks Books, Movies & More

To Cindy Kleback, being a librarian is like falling into the “family business.”

Her mother was a librarian. Her Godmother was a librarian. Even her Godmother’s sister was a librarian.

“I very much grew up in the library,” she said.

Perry Hall Library frequenters might have met Kleback, the new branch manager, in the weeks since Feb. 19—her official start date.

She came from making the rounds at Enoch Pratt Library in the city where she spent nine-and-a-half years.

“The are a lot of crazy things that go on there that you would expect being in the city—probably a lot of things that I’m not going to see here in Perry Hall and I’m really happy about that,” she said jokingly Thursday afternoon when speaking with Patch.

She started working in libraries in 2003, hired as a children’s and young adult librarian at the Patterson Park Branch. The following year she was promoted to a managerial position bouncing between the Canton, Patterson and Herring Run branches.

But she made her bones opening the Southeast Anchor Library in 2007 in Highlandtown. 

“I was there when there was nothing in the building, not even shelves. I worked a lot of 12, 13 hour days to prepare the building,” Kleback said. She empathized with what librarians in Owings Mills are currently going through.

Patch caught up with Kleback at the Perry Hall Library—(aka the unofficial Perry Hall Patch newsroom/Honeygo Nureau)—Thursday for a one-on-one chat about her new position.

We talked about the differences in Perry Hall, her favorite books, what she’s reading right now, and more. For starters, her badge may say "Cynthia," but she much prefers "Cindy."

Which aspect of being a librarian do you enjoy the most?

“My favorite part of being a librarian is that no day is ever the same. You never know what kind of questions someone is going to ask you when they come up to the desk. ... It keeps us stimulated and engaged and interested in the job.”

What book (or books) are currently on your nightstand?

“I do like to read some horror slash paranormal stuff. Right now, I’m reading one of my favorite authors from when I was a teenager—Christopher Pike. He had a new teen fiction book called Witch World [come out in November]. It’s about witches and alternate realities. I’m halfway throughout it and it’s pretty good—typical Christopher Pike.

“I also like to read non-fiction and celebrity bios and cookbooks. I currently have two cookbooks at home that I’m perusing. One is by Robert Irvine, the guy who does Restaurant Impossible show. He actually re-did a restaurant near where I live in Anne Arundel County. It’s awesome. The other one is The Chew. They do good, simple recipes that novice cooks like me can do.”

What is the best book to film adaptation?

“That’s a good question. I would say my favorite is the Harry Potter series. I would say they were accessible and that those characters were just so well done that they translated well from the page to the screen. I think it helped that they had J.K. Rowling’s blessing.

“The Twilight series was OK, too. Quite honestly I just watched the last movie [Wednesday] night because I hadn’t seen it. But, it’s ... OK, for what it was. It’s entertaining and sometimes movies like that, that aren’t exact adaptions of books are a good way to introduce characters to people. They bring people in who then want to read that book.”

“You’re seeing it more with TV now too.”

Favorite book of all time?

(Without hesitation) Best book ever? To Kill a Mockingbird. Those characters were so well-created. As you read you could relate to what each of those characters were going through. That is the hallmark of truly great writing, when you can feel the perspective and at the same time, feel your perspective change as your reading based on who the character is that you’re following.

“Plus that story is just a great story and it’s very heart-warming, and uplifting, and inspiring. It shows you the best and worst of people to help you see where we could be.”

What do you love most about Perry Hall?

“I love the people. Everybody that I have met here has been so nice, to a fault. Everyone has been so kind and sweet and welcoming.

“What I love about about the Perry Hall Library, first off, this is never a wait for computers. ... And love to just see people sitting the library reading and just using the space, enjoying it and treating it as a hub of the community.”

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