After almost forty years, Library Director Martha Hutzel will retire from the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) on Sept. 30. Hutzel was appointed director in 2016 after several prior positions at different library branches, including branch manager and head of circulation.
Hutzel said she was inspired to become a librarian “by [her] mother, who is still living at 102, and by [her] father, both of whom loved books and reading and set that example for their 13 children.” After completing chores on the dairy farm she grew up on, she and her siblings were allowed to read whatever they wanted. In the 1980s, Hutzel moved to Fredericksburg and immediately got a library card and part-time job at the Fredericksburg location. She said the staff “welcomed me with open arms and I fell into them.”
After working part-time for several years, Hutzel decided to pursue her Master’s in Library Science and work full-time. “That was when I really stepped into my love of CRRL and the career of librarianship. I had wonderful mentors at CRRL a few decades back and they had a very positive influence on my career.”
Hutzel said serving as President of the Virginia Library Association, a professional library association with 9,000 members, opening IdeaSpace on Princess Anne St., and opening a library branch inside the Spotsylvania Towne Centre have been highlights in her career.
The advent of technology over the decade changed how librarians work and serve customers, but Hutzel said they still offer “the face-to-face human interaction that so many customers come into the library to find.” The cataloging system, CRRL website, and publicly accessible catalog have all been online for decades, she added. The library has also added non-book offerings like e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines. Hutzel said the library also has circulated Wi-Fi hotspots and Chromebooks for free, “Tech on the Go: kits and craft kits.
Hutzel is looking forward to spending time with her seven grandchildren and traveling. The library’s Board of Trustees will conduct a nationwide search for Hutzel’s replacement.
Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) is holding a supply drive on Aug. 3, and donors will get a chance to dunk an administrator.
The drive will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at Target in Stafford Marketplace (Stafford Marketplace (1090 Stafford Market Place). SCPS Spokeswoman Sandra Osborn said the staff at Hartwood Elementary has signed up for the dunk tank.
A complete list of supplies requested is online.
All supplies will be distributed to Stafford students. Donations are also being collected at the SCPS Central Office at 31 Stafford Avenue.
Stafford County Animal Shelter has once again reached capacity and is pleading for adoptions and fosters.
In the month of June, the shelter has “had a record 32 dogs surrendered to our shelter in just 20 days,” according to their Facebook page. In addition to the surrenders, the shelter has had 23 stray dogs, with only 18 being reunited with their owners so far. They posted “57 dogs [are] currently in our care – 41 of them are available for adoption. This situation is unprecedented and simply not maintainable. Despite reaching out to our community countless times in the past few months, we find ourselves in an even worse situation each time we catch a glimpse of relief and the fact is, we are now at a breaking point.”
The Stafford County Animal Shelter is not a no-kill shelter. They announced “until further notice, we will be taking surrenders on an emergency-only basis. Additionally, adoption fees will be waived for the remainder of the month.”
Information on fostering and adopting animals, and a list of donations needed is available online.
Stafford County Sheriff’s Office has announced dates for the 2024 National Night Out events.
National Night Out is an annual event offering a chance to meet your neighbors, interact with law enforcement, and learn about multiple businesses and non-profit services in the community.
The department has opened registration for neighborhoods interested in hosting a Night Out, and for those interested in exhibiting at the Stafford Marketplace event in October.
