Library Board of Trustees Elects Chair and Vice Chair, Appoints Executive Director

At their September 9 meeting, the Central Rappahannock Regional Library Board elected David Ross as Chair and Christy Maupin as Vice Chair.

Press Release:

Central Rappahannock Regional Library’s Board of Trustees held elections at their September 9 quarterly meeting and elected David Ross as Chair and Christy Maupin as Vice Chair.

Chair:
David Ross has previously served on the Board for 5 years and served on the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors for 12 years. He has an undergraduate B.B.A. in Finance from Iowa State University and a M.S. degree in Systems Management from the Naval Postgraduate School. Mr. Ross is a retired Marine aviator and, for the past 14 years, has been a program manager in the software development field.

Vice Chair:
Over the past 27 years, Christy Maupin has lived in the City of Fredericksburg, then Spotsylvania County, and now the Town of Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County. She has a B.A. in English from Mary Baldwin University and, before retiring, 30 years of experience as a technical writer and editor and instructional developer for adult learners. She was married to local attorney Ron Maupin from 1999 until his death in 2009.

Library Board of Trustees members are appointed by and represent their jurisdictions, donating their time as advocates for the public. Trustees work closely with the Library Director and Deputy Director to determine library policy, adopt budgets, and support library legislation on a state and national level. Trustees also promote the library’s services, classes, and events in their interactions with the community.

The full list of the Board of Trustees can be found at librarypoint.org/board-of-trustees.

Additionally, the board also appointed Rebecca Purdy as Executive Director, effective October 1, following a national search.

Press Release:

The Board of Trustees of Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) has selected Deputy Director Rebecca Purdy as Executive Director after a national search which attracted over 40 applicants. The position was advertised with the American Library Association, Virginia Library Association, Virginia Municipal League, Virginia Association of Counties (VACO), and Indeed.

Rebecca Purdy first started at CRRL in 1984 as a Library Page, shelving books and working her way up to her current role as Deputy Director, which she has held since 2016. Purdy is a graduate of the University of Mary Washington and has a Master of Library and Information Science from The Catholic University of America. Purdy is a graduate of Leadership Development at the Virginia Institute of Government, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Government at the University of Virginia; the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Fredericksburg; Public Innovators Lab for Libraries; and the American Library Association’s Leadership Institute.

Purdy has worked at the library in several Youth Services positions, including Youth Services Coordinator. In her early days as a librarian, Purdy served as Young Adult Librarian at Fredericksburg Branch and created Café Book, an innovative school partnership book discussion program that is still ongoing. Café Book began at one school with approximately 30 participants and currently is in 17 schools serving hundreds of students. As Young Adult Librarian, Purdy also started the Johnny P. Johnson Teen Art Show, which celebrated its 29th year in 2024.

At Fredericksburg Branch, Purdy managed as Youth Services Department Head for almost ten years. During this time, she conducted a system-wide staffing evaluation to manage the reassignment of over 80 staff members to support the newly opened Howell Branch. She also mentored new leaders within the library and created CRRL’s first management training.

In her role as Youth Services Coordinator, Purdy administered youth services for the entire library system and advocated for CRRL in radio interviews, print columns in the Free Lance-Star, and in the professional journal, Voice of Youth Advocates. She administered Summer Reading, Back to School orientations, and CRRL’s support of Stafford’s 350th Anniversary. Purdy worked with local agencies and secured funding to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) exhibitions and programs to the community. Purdy integrated early childhood research into library programs and established Learn & Play rooms in all branches.

Purdy became CRRL’s Deputy Director in 2016, where she was instrumental in the opening of Spotsylvania Towne Centre Branch, CRRL’s joint use library at Germanna’s Barbara J. Fried Center, IdeaSpace, and two satellite locations in Spotsylvania County. Purdy worked on multiple facility projects, including the move of CRRL’s administrative offices from Fredericksburg Branch to the Library Administration Center and renovations and expansions at Fredericksburg and Porter branches. Purdy’s responsibilities included developing a successful COVID Response Plan, collaborating with a consultant on CRRL’s Strategic Plan, drafting policy updates, managing fiscal reports and budgets, increasing internal communication among staff, and multiple hiring, training, and emergency response projects.

Purdy has served the Virginia Library Association in several roles, including on the Children’s and Young Adult Roundtable and as Secretary for the Executive Committee. Nationally, Purdy’s work with the American Library Association includes serving with the Association for Library Service to Children’s Liaisons with National Organizations Serving Children and Youth. Purdy’s regional and local roles include serving with Capitol Choices: New and Noteworthy Books for Children & Teens, Smart Beginnings Rappahannock Area, the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Network of Enterprising Women, and on the Executive Board of the University of Mary Washington’s Women’s Leadership Colloquium.

Rebecca Purdy will start in the role of Executive Director October 1. CRRL’s current Director Martha Hutzel retires September 30.