CFL Board of Trustees

Two CFL volunteers recognized for 20 years of service!

John Hoeschele News, Uncategorized , , , , , , ,
Georgette Ogle, CFL Volunteer
Nancy Snedeker, CFL Volunteer

The Cortland Free Library is honored to recognize our two longest-serving volunteers ― Georgette Ogle and Nancy Snedeker ― each of whom has afforded our institution their valuable time, talents, and passion for the mission of their local library for 20+ years!

We’re especially excited to note their extraordinary contribution to our community via the CFL also (and not surprisingly!) warranted coverage and celebration in our local news media.

First, here are two excerpts from Paige Kingsley’s article (April 7, 2026) in the Cortland Standard, titled: Library volunteers reminisce on over 20 years of service

  • “Lots of people and hands are involved in making a library run smoothly and effectively for the community: the library director, staff, the board and the volunteers. Everyone is dedicated to their role and there are some volunteers that have been donating their time to Cortland Free Library for over 20 years…  Nancy Snedeker has actually been working in the world of libraries long before she volunteered at Cortland Free Library, having previously worked as the archivist and photographer at Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park. She had never planned to work in libraries until she started a job in the university library at Vassar College. It was from there that she started work in Hyde Park and never looked back.”
  • “For Georgette Ogle’s start in volunteering, she had been asking about volunteer opportunities for years until Kay Zaharis took over as library director and finally gave her the green light. Ogle didn’t have prior library experience like Snedeker, but she shares a similar passion and was able to take a class at Cornell University on book repair. That’s how she became Cortland Free Library’s go-to repairwoman… Ogle’s corner of the library is tucked away on the basement floor where she can spread out her materials and repair a few books at a time, but she’ll surface every now and then to collect some damaged books and replace them with the ones she’s made good-as-new.”

You can read the rest of the article here!

Second, their stories were captured today in a charming interview with X101’s Matt Brooks (WXHC, Homer). We hope you’ll give a listen and visit the station’s website here!

Thank you so very, very much Nancy and Georgette for your tireless efforts, kindness, teamwork, and volunteerism over the years. You’ve literally and figuratively helped make the Cortland Free Library the special place and invaluable community asset that it is!

 

Elliott Joins Cortland Free Board of Trustees

John Hoeschele News , , ,

Kathleen Elliott, Member of the Cortland Free Library Board of TrusteesThe Cortland Free Library today announced that Kathleen Elliott has joined the organization’s Board of Trustees.

Born in Fayetteville, New York, Elliott has lived in Cortland since 1992 and studied political science at Trinity University in Washington DC, where she also received her masters degree in special education. After teaching in Maryland for a few years, Elliott taught special education for Cortland Enlarged City Schools District until her retirement in June 2024. Her two children, Noah and Julia, are graduates of the Cortland Senior High School.

“We are excited to welcome Kathleen to our team of Trustees, where her deep experience in special education and passion for early childhood literacy – which is so important to a public institution like ours – will prove invaluable,” said Cortland Free Library Board President, Lauren Mossotti-Kline. “We’re also confident her experience with public policy, advocacy, funding non-profit organizations, and her recent hands-on experience with the local outpost of Dolly Parton Imagination Library will bring important contributions, ideas, and insights to our board discussions and initiatives.”

Previously, Elliott was active in Cortland United Teachers as the political action director, where she organized efforts for school board elections, school funding, and improved working conditions. Currently, she serves on the board of Family Planning of South Central New York, where she chairs the education committee. Elliott is also active in Indivisible Cortland County, which works to protect the integrity of the American electoral system, and she is the coordinator of the Cortland County League of Women Voters book club.

In her free time, Elliott looks for open water in which to swim. When that’s not available, she can be found swimming laps at the YMCA, reading, biking, and traveling with her husband.

(Those interested in learning more about Elliott are encouraged to read her Q&A on our Board of Trustees page.)

Magelaner Takes Helm of Cortland Free Library

John Hoeschele News , , , , , ,

Jessica Magelaner - New Director of the Cortland Free LibraryNew Library Director Will Relocate From Turners Falls, MA – Where Her Last Post Was Director of the Orange Public Libraries, Orange, MA

The Cortland Free Library Board of Trustees today announced that it has hired Jessica Magelaner, MLIS of Turners Falls, Massachusetts as its new Library Director. The appointment was made based on a vote taken at the Board’s regular June 26th meeting, following an extensive, two and a half-month nationwide search. Magelaner begins on July 1st and will fill the position held by two interim and locally-known co-directors — Priscilla Berggren-Thomas and Kay Zaharis — after the library’s previous Director exited at the end of March, 2024.

A native of Granville, Ohio, Magelaner brings 14 years of librarianship — including 12 years of supervisory/library management experience — to the post, serving most recently as Director of the Orange Public Libraries, Orange Massachusetts since 2016; there, she also oversaw nearby Wheeler Memorial Library and Moore LeLand Library. Prior to that, Magelaner was Assistant Director/Interim Director of Mason Library in Great Barrington, Massachusetts (2011-2016), a Library Specialist I for Freedom Regional Library in Charlotte, North Carolina (2004-2010), and a Periodicals Assistant at Denison University, Granville, Ohio.

“The search committee was impressed with Jessica’s experience, particularly her attention to community needs, collaboration, outreach, and consensus-building. She’s well versed in creating and implementing special projects, overseeing collections, initiating community outreach, and staying up to date with technology.  We look forward to welcoming her and know that the community will benefit from her experience with a wide array of programming for all ages and constituencies,” said Board President, Lauren Mossotti-Kline. “I’m extremely grateful to the Trustees and staff who were engaged in the extensive search, which included multiple interviews, candidate visits to Cortland, and following up on numerous references.”

For her part, Magelaner looks forward to moving to Cortland, gaining a full appreciation of community dynamics and needs, and building on the Library’s legacy of excellence: “I’m grateful for this opportunity to work with a devoted board and a talented staff here in this beautiful historic building. I look forward to serving as your library director, and though there are many challenges facing libraries today, I’m committed to finding solutions together with the Cortland community,” shared Magelaner.

Highly competent in all areas of library service – including circulation, children’s services, senior services, reference, and all aspects of management — Magelaner earned her Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC and her Bachelor of Arts in English, from Salem College, Winston-Salem NC.

Wrapping up the announcement, Mossotti-Kline expressed heartfelt appreciation to Priscilla Berggren-Thomas and Kay Zaharis for their service as interim co-directors – and to the Library’s staff for their steadfastness, patience, and focus during this period of transition.

“We quite literally could not have done this without Priscilla and Kay holding the fort while our Board and personnel committee, in particular, conducted the search that led us to Jessica,” she said. “And the same is true of our exceptionally devoted staff. We are unceasingly grateful.”