New Wyandanch library director 'ready to take the challenges head-on'
Jessica Oelcher's appointment comes after years of turmoil at the library and improvements following a reorganization in December. Credit: Rick Kopstein
The Wyandanch Public Library has a director for the first time in more than a year, and she may be a familiar face to community members.
The facility's board of trustees has hired Jessica Oelcher for what the Bayport resident is calling her "dream job."
Oelcher, 40, had been working as a community engagement manager for the Patchogue-Medford Library for the past three years, but is no stranger to her new workplace. Several years ago, she held a part-time librarian role there for a few months.
Oelcher, who started her new position last week, will take home $110,000 a year while managing the facility, which has a nearly $2 million annual budget.
The library has been without a full-time director for nearly a year-and-a-half and has had five directors in the past 12 years, two of whom lasted less than a year before quitting.
The library has been fraught with controversy for the past decade, including when a state comptroller audit in 2014 found the board of trustees didn't provide adequate oversight to prevent "fraud, waste and abuse."
But the board has worked to make both cosmetic and operational improvements under new leadership following a December reorganization meeting, and Oelcher said she took notice.
Among the changes are new lighting and shelving, additional security cameras and the installation of a key fob system, as well as a redesigned website that is about to launch. A bank audit of the library's accounts was undertaken and credit cards held by some former trustees were canceled.
“I hope we can move the library forward with some changes and new initiatives,” Oelcher said. “The board has been refreshed and I think they’re excited, and that makes me excited, too.”
Working with the community was a highlight of her time in Wyandanch, Oelcher said, whether it was helping children with homework or adults with their resumes. Oelcher said she wants to focus on improving programming and building relationships.
“I’m ready to take the challenges head-on,” she said. “I can’t do anything about what has happened in the past so the only thing I can do is move forward."
Oelcher called her previous months at the library “challenging” because there was no director at the time.
High turnover is unusual in the library world, where directors at most Suffolk libraries are hired off a list from the county’s civil service department and tend to stay for years, said Kevin Verbesey, director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.
He said that as of last year, the average time a director held a position at a Suffolk public library was about a decade.
A high amount of director turnover “creates a certain amount of dysfunction and an inability for people to do their jobs and really serve their community,” said Kelly Harris, past president of the Public Library Directors Association of Suffolk County.
Wyandanch's last director, Shadd Jamison, left in 2021 after two years at the helm. The director before him, Edwin Maxwell, lasted just a year, from 2018 to 2019.
Donna Murray resigned as director in 2018 after less than six months.
According to records, Murray wrote in her resignation letter that she was leaving due to the “financial fraud, hostility, dishonesty, nepotism, intimidation, duplicity, and manipulation practiced by two of the library’s trustees.”
In 2019, the library filed a $6 million lawsuit against Murray, claiming breach of contract and confidentiality after the resignation letter circulated through the community. The library agreed to discontinue the lawsuit last year, according to court records.
Attorneys for Murray and the library didn't respond to recent requests for comment about the litigation.
Roosevelt Public Library Director Lambert Shell has been a consultant to Wyandanch for several years amid the turmoil and said he's familiar with the frustrations of past directors.
“It just seemed that there was so much involvement from board members in terms of not allowing them to just run the library day to day,” Shell said.
New library board president Jordan Thomas said he wants to support Oelcher. He said he was impressed by her passion for Wyandanch and her commitment to community engagement.
“That’s big because we’re trying to get the library back to a point of really truly being a cornerstone of the community,” he added.
The Wyandanch Public Library has a director for the first time in more than a year, and she may be a familiar face to community members.
The facility's board of trustees has hired Jessica Oelcher for what the Bayport resident is calling her "dream job."
Oelcher, 40, had been working as a community engagement manager for the Patchogue-Medford Library for the past three years, but is no stranger to her new workplace. Several years ago, she held a part-time librarian role there for a few months.
Oelcher, who started her new position last week, will take home $110,000 a year while managing the facility, which has a nearly $2 million annual budget.
The library has been without a full-time director for nearly a year-and-a-half and has had five directors in the past 12 years, two of whom lasted less than a year before quitting.
The library has been fraught with controversy for the past decade, including when a state comptroller audit in 2014 found the board of trustees didn't provide adequate oversight to prevent "fraud, waste and abuse."
But the board has worked to make both cosmetic and operational improvements under new leadership following a December reorganization meeting, and Oelcher said she took notice.
Among the changes are new lighting and shelving, additional security cameras and the installation of a key fob system, as well as a redesigned website that is about to launch. A bank audit of the library's accounts was undertaken and credit cards held by some former trustees were canceled.
“I hope we can move the library forward with some changes and new initiatives,” Oelcher said. “The board has been refreshed and I think they’re excited, and that makes me excited, too.”
Working with the community was a highlight of her time in Wyandanch, Oelcher said, whether it was helping children with homework or adults with their resumes. Oelcher said she wants to focus on improving programming and building relationships.
“I’m ready to take the challenges head-on,” she said. “I can’t do anything about what has happened in the past so the only thing I can do is move forward."
Oelcher called her previous months at the library “challenging” because there was no director at the time.
High turnover is unusual in the library world, where directors at most Suffolk libraries are hired off a list from the county’s civil service department and tend to stay for years, said Kevin Verbesey, director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.
He said that as of last year, the average time a director held a position at a Suffolk public library was about a decade.
A high amount of director turnover “creates a certain amount of dysfunction and an inability for people to do their jobs and really serve their community,” said Kelly Harris, past president of the Public Library Directors Association of Suffolk County.
Wyandanch's last director, Shadd Jamison, left in 2021 after two years at the helm. The director before him, Edwin Maxwell, lasted just a year, from 2018 to 2019.
Donna Murray resigned as director in 2018 after less than six months.
According to records, Murray wrote in her resignation letter that she was leaving due to the “financial fraud, hostility, dishonesty, nepotism, intimidation, duplicity, and manipulation practiced by two of the library’s trustees.”
In 2019, the library filed a $6 million lawsuit against Murray, claiming breach of contract and confidentiality after the resignation letter circulated through the community. The library agreed to discontinue the lawsuit last year, according to court records.
Attorneys for Murray and the library didn't respond to recent requests for comment about the litigation.
Roosevelt Public Library Director Lambert Shell has been a consultant to Wyandanch for several years amid the turmoil and said he's familiar with the frustrations of past directors.
“It just seemed that there was so much involvement from board members in terms of not allowing them to just run the library day to day,” Shell said.
New library board president Jordan Thomas said he wants to support Oelcher. He said he was impressed by her passion for Wyandanch and her commitment to community engagement.
“That’s big because we’re trying to get the library back to a point of really truly being a cornerstone of the community,” he added.
Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.
Gilgo-related search continues ... Trump hush money trial latest ... Gang member stands trial ... What's up on LI
Gilgo-related search continues ... Trump hush money trial latest ... Gang member stands trial ... What's up on LI
