The Williamsburg Regional Library

	Williamsburg Regional Library Director Patsy Hansel Selected to Lead Mesa, Arizona Library System Patsy J. Hansel, director of the Williamsburg Regional Library (WRL) system since 1989, has been selected as the new director of the Mesa, Arizona Public Library system. Her resignation was announced on November 30th by Ken Wolfe, chairman of the WRL Board of Trustees. Hansel will leave her position at WRL at the end of January and assume her new duties in Arizona February 7. In a statement on behalf of the WRL Board of Trustees, Wolfe said,		Patsy J. Hansel
	"Having served for two terms on the library board, I know how fortunate the Williamsburg community has been to have Patsy as its library director. Patsy is one of the best librarians anywhere and brings tremendous energy, enthusiasm, dedication and good humor to the job. Serving on the library board is a pleasure due to Patsy's leadership, and the staff she has built is truly outstanding. Personally, Patsy is one of the most impressive managers I've ever encountered and she has been a delight to work with. Patsy knows how to bring out the best in her staff, and we can take great pride in the library system she has helped to create. She has also designed an incredibly flat organizational structure for the library, which not only has saved the community tax dollars, but has encouraged staff creativity. Patsy's departure is a tremendous loss for the community and she will be deeply missed."
	Hansel has made many friends while at WRL!		Hansel, 51, a native of Mt. Holly, N.C. was previously assistant director of the Cumberland County Public Library in Fayetteville, N.C. and director of the Onslow County Public Library in Jacksonville, N.C. During her decade as director, Hansel led the Williamsburg Regional Library system through an expansion from a single building plus bookmobile to a two-library system. The library system is widely recognized for the quality of its reference services, its children and adult programming and innovative use of electronic resources to meet the information needs of the 65,000 citizens of the City of Williamsburg, James City County and the Bruton District of York County.
	Among the specific highlights of Hansel's term as director are: Construction, well under budget, of the 35,000 square foot James City County Library in 1996 following an overwhelming voter approval of a 1994 bond referendum. A 12,000 square foot expansion and renovation of the Williamsburg Library, completed in 1998. Establishment of the Phillip West Memorial Cancer Resource Center, created by the Reference staff and recognized this year with the Virginia Library Association's highest honor. Creation in 1992 of the Williamsburg Regional Library Foundation, which makes private financial resources consistently available to guarantee the excellence of public library services for all people in the community. Editor of the book Managing Overdues: A How-To-Do-It Manual For Librarians, published in 1998. She also secured publication of an upcoming book of staff perspectives on new library construction scheduled for publication in 2000. Hansel was named Virginia's first Public Library Director of the Year in 1997.
	In announcing her resignation, Hansel said, "I have worked with a wonderful staff and a wonderful library board throughout my years in Williamsburg. I will miss them all tremendously." The three building Mesa Public Library system, which Hansel will direct, is located in a suburb of Phoenix. The system serves a population of 380,000 and has a budget of $10 million. We will miss you Patsy! Thank you for your spirited leadership and support over the past ten years. Best of luck.		Hansel has made efforts to be involved in all aspects of the library's functions. In October, she participated in the Booked for Lunch program.