Walworth-Seely Public Library: Zingerella

Zingerella, named 1998 Library Director of the Year
Mary Zingerella is one of the people who works in our neighborhood. Mrs. Zingerella came on board as the Director of the Walworth-Seely Library in September, 1998.
She brings with her a zip for life, vim for literacy and a fierce vigor for libraries.
Her love of libraries was kindled early by her hometown librarian. Mary signed up for her first library card when she was only 7 years old.
“I thought the library was a fun and appealing place to hang out,” she told me during our telephone interview. “My mother read a lot to me, too.”
Mary earned her Bachelor degree from Gennesseo (the last class to be able to receive the Library degree) and went onto a Master’s degree in Library Science.
Mary met her husband, Anthony, when she was attending Mt. Morris Central High School. Being a small school, everyone knew everyone else and she needed a ride over to visit her sister, who had been in a car accident. Tony offered to drive her and has been a “driving force” ever since. They were married July 18, 1970. He is a Vietnam Vet and currently employed working on the computers at Lisk in Clifton Springs.

Mary and Tony’s daughter, Vivian Renee, and three grand-children, 7 year old Tina, two year old Erica and one year old Eddie, currently live in Rome, NY.
Their son, Michael, lives with them in Shortsville and works in a Prime Outlets cosmetics shop in Waterloo.
Rounding out her family are Dumb Fred, a cat with medium length hair; Buddy, a short haired cat; Sasha, a 9 year old German Shepherd; and Sebastian, a mixed breed A puppy from Hell.
It isn’t difficult to understand why Mary was chosen the Fingerlakes Library System’s 1998 Library Director of the Year. Her many years of working with the Girl Scouts, Humane Society and, especially, her commitment to Literacy Volunteers have shown her how important to the community public library’s out-reach programs are.
“I think my contribution is that I am a clear proponent of libraries, the Youth task group in Seneca county affecting families and children, coordinating agencies working in the county, and writing a Parent and Child grant.”
She is quite the public speaker and not shy about going before a board to tail twist for monies to fund her projects. She’s even been on Cable Channel 12!
“I’m a strong proponent of library programs,” she effervesced. “I want to help people understand that the library is more than a book depository.”

“I’d like to make better use of the electronic resources,” she stated referring to LAKEnet, a project funded by BOCES that will bring three high-speed inter-net lines into the Walworth-Seely Library. “it is our policy to have open access–no filters on our inter-net lines–just as we do with our books in print.”
The next time you’re in the library, make a point to stop by the counter to say hello to Mary. She’s anxious to meet you.
Thank you, Mary Zingerella. You are now a Walworthian with the accent on worth.
(NOTE: A version of this article appeared in my column Cornucopia, 10/14/1998 Wayne County STAR. Copyright © 1998, 2011 by Kate Chamberlin)