By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Cindy Stosse is the new director of the Pembroke Town Library. She started the job at the same time the library was recognized as Library of the Year by the New Hampshire Library Trustees Association. (Bruce Preston Photo)

The Pembroke Town Library has been operating for nearly 110 years, and this year appears to be one of its biggest.

The New Hampshire Library Trustees Association has named Pembroke's library as the Library of the Year, an honor bestowed to only one of the state's hundreds of libraries annually.

One of the people celebrating the honor is the library's new director, Cindy Stosse. The Windsor native took over the position last month after former director Pam Stauffacher took a librarian job in Concord.

Library Board of Trustees Chairman Marie Brezosky said the library, which opened in 1897 in one room of a tailor's shop, has flourished since moving into its 313 Pembroke St. location three years ago.

"Since moving into our new building, the number of cardholders has increased by 62 percent," she said. "People are happy that we have more space now."

Brezosky stressed, however, that a good library is composed of more than just brick, mortar and ample parking.

"It's not just about our building - it's about our services," she said.

Groups that regularly meet at one of the library's two meeting rooms include a book club, a knitting group, the historical Scouts.

Brezosky said library officials also pride themselves on the many activities offered to children. Such services are likely to continue and expand as Stosse takes the library's helm.

Stosse remembers being a young child and having terrible experiences in the library because of a vision problem that didn't allow her to read. Now, as a librarian, Stosse said she gets particular satisfaction from helping children enter into literacy.

Before coming to Pembroke, Stosse was a librarian for five years at Lane Memorial Library in Hampton.

"The people here are just wonderful," said Stosse, who became a librarian after her daughter was born. She had previously been an accountant for 12 years.

"I don't miss it," she said. Brezosky said she's most impressed with Stosse's enthusiasm for the job.

"She's wonderful," said Brezosky. "She's enthusiastic but she's also thoughtful."

Pembroke residents will have the chance to meet Stosse at a Saturday, Feb. 18, ceremony, in which the state library association will formally honor the Pembroke Town Library. The location, naturally, is the library.

For more information on the library or the award ceremony, call 485-7851.