This letter was originally published through the SPL Substack newsletter. Readers can view all issue of the newsletter and subscribe here.
I never intended to spend more than a few months in Maine when I came to Isle au Haut in March 2018. I considered it a transit point between Beijing, where I lived from 2010-2017, and my next adventure. I swore when I left home at 17 that I would never live in a small town again, and I couldn’t imagine rural life without a driver’s license. Maine proved me wrong. I found a home here; I found a job that I love; and I found friends and community who have enriched my life beyond measure.
For these reasons and many more, I thought long and hard before making my decision to step down as library director at the end of 2025. I consider the opportunity to serve our island community to be one of the greatest honors in my life. That is not hyperbole. I get to interact with the people I serve everyday on the job. You are not a data set being mined in a corporate office for maximum profit. You are individuals whose reading interests, life stories, and personalities have influenced my work. I work for you, and you made me a better librarian. I will always have what I learned from you and apply it in my life and career beyond Maine.
My decision to resign is purely a personal decision. I feel fully embraced by the island community, and I am grateful for the professional experience and personal memories that I have accumulated over my years in Maine. I would need a book to properly express my gratitude for the place, the people, and the community. Friends have assured me that I always have a place to stay any time I come back, and when I do, I look forward catching up and to visiting Stonington Public Library. The island will always be one of my homes.
I take pride in the work I have done to ensure Stonington Public Library’s place at the center of our community’s cultural and educational landscape. I have expanded physical and digital collections, increased year-round programming, and built lasting connections with community organizations. I was not alone! I benefited from the work of my predecessors, the support of an engaged board, and the generosity of islanders who have volunteered, donated, and advocated for a vibrant public library. It took a perfect confluence of factors to set the stage for my achievements, and I trust that my successor will build off of my success and add to SPL’s rich history.
The board appointed a search committee to find the next director of SPL, and they have submitted a job posting to various outlets and posted a full job description with application procedures on the library website.
I have been told that I am leaving big shoes to fill, yet I have seen the abundance of talented, community-minded people who live here and go out into the community everyday to make a positive difference. This knowledge gives me confidence that the search committee will have the difficult task of narrowing down the pool to make a recommendation to the board. I am committed to working with the committee and the board to ensure a smooth transition, and I believe that your love of libraries will buoy the next director in their endeavors.
Gratefully,
Christopher Ross
Library Director
