New Hire At Canton Library To Add Focus On Relevance

Canton Public Library has a new Information Services Department Head following a months-long search.

Jessica Parij, who had been working as the Manager of Adult Services at the Rochester Hills Public Library, took on her new role at CPL on May 6 after applying in January. Prior to that, she was Librarian III at the Baltimore County Public Library in Maryland, leading a branch’s collection development for all ages and coordinating summer reading and teen volunteer programs.

Her draw to CPL was based on two factors: a desire for bigger challenges, as the IS Department Head oversees and mentors 36 librarians, and the appeal of the Canton community. She wouldn’t make the commute from her home in Warren for any other place.

“I enjoy that Canton is such a diverse community, and the residents seem to not only highly value education, but think of the library as a place to get their entertainment too,” Parij says of residents’ heavy library use.

She will take on the challenge of directing collection development for the library, working closely with the Collections Specialist and Youth and Adult Managers to oversee the development of new and existing collections.

Aside from her work experience, Parij’s belief in a relevant library go hand-in-hand with the library’s strategic plan. “Twenty-four/seven access to the library in some way is integral to ensuring that public libraries stay relevant to our communities,” she says.