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Coffee With: Jocelyn Kennedy, Executive Director of The Farmington Libraries

On her transition from academic law, how books are chosen, and some library resources you might not know about

 

Jocelyn Kennedy at Bruno's Cafe in Unionville. (Credit: Carl Wiser)

By Carl Wiser

Staff Writer

 

Before taking over as executive director of The Farmington Libraries in September 2023, Jocelyn Kennedy held that position for seven years at the Harvard Law School Library. It was the pinnacle of law librarianship, but after the death of her father in 2022, she was ready to do something different.

 

"In February of 2023, I did the math and I was like, if I only have 30 years left to live, what do I want to do with it?" says Kennedy. "A month later, a friend from California sent me the job posting for the director of the Farmington Libraries, so I applied and I got the job."

 

Kennedy grew up in the little town of Dunbarton, New Hampshire, where there were 10 kids in her elementary school class. After earning a degree in English literature at the University of New Hampshire in 1993, she took a job with Congressman Charlie Bass of New Hampshire, working in constituent services to help citizens navigate the federal government. She enjoyed the job, but wasn't sure it would last. Every two years, Bass was up for re-election, and if he lost, she'd be unemployed.

 

Kennedy became a single mom when her son was born in 1995. While raising him and working for the congressman, she got certified as a paralegal, then went to law school at Franklin Pierce Law Center, starting on her son's first day of kindergarten. There, her career path veered from lawyer to librarian.

 

"I worked in the library while I was in law school, and all the librarians said, 'You should be a librarian.' I said, 'I'm spending a lot of money to go to law school, why would I become a librarian?'"

 

Kennedy got her law degree in 2003 and spent two years in the Lakes District of New Hampshire clerking for two judges.

 

"It was a lot of research and a lot of writing, and I loved it," says Kennedy. "My son was nine, and I thought, who's going to raise this child while I'm practicing law? Especially as a first-year associate, you're talking 80-90 hours a week of work. Kids always need kind, loving adults, but their parents become really important when they're in middle school and high school because that's where things can go sideways, and I didn't want somebody else raising my middle schooler. So I decided that I would apply to library school at the University of Washington because they had a law librarianship program that was 11 months, and they had a graduate position that would enable me to go to school for free if I got that position. I decided to apply for that, and if I get it I will become a librarian and if I don't get it, I will become a lawyer."

 

She got the position and earned her law librarianship degree in 2006. From there she became a law librarian at the University of Michigan, where she did research for the faculty. In 2011 she moved to Connecticut and became the director of library services at UConn Law School. A year later, she met her soon-to-be husband Seth, and in 2014 they bought a home in Farmington.

 

"Then in 2016 I got a position at Harvard University at the law school as the director of that law library," says Kennedy. "It's kind of a big job. So my husband and our family moved up to Boston."

 

Her next stop was The Farmington Libraries, where Kennedy does much of the same work she did in academia, including strategic planning, facilities work, budgeting, hiring, community relations and staff support, but the product and the patrons are very different.

 

"An academic institution is singularly focused on attracting, recruiting and retaining faculty and students, so your constituency, your patrons, are also singularly focused on their work," she says. "Whereas in a public library, it's really everybody in your community and beyond. We don't just serve the people of Farmington, we serve anybody who comes into our building."

 

Law libraries are narrowly focused; Kennedy can be a lot more creative in the public space.

 

"This spring I did a program with Rose Ponte, who is our director of Economic Development here in town, called The Entrepreneurship Journey, where we invited entrepreneurs from the community to talk about their experience starting a business here in town and then growing their business," she said. "I did programming in the academic space very much around law and legal principles, but getting to do something with a really amazing member of our town government and these business leaders in our community was awesome."

 


Library patrons, small and tall, attend a battle of the knights by the Knights of Gore as part of the Library's summer kick-off. (Credit: Emma Beecher)

Popular Programs

Kennedy says the children's programs are very popular at The Farmington Libraries, with the Tots And Tunes And Tales music and movement class drawing about 80 young children on Friday mornings. Popular adult programs include the Afternoons At The Bijou movie nights, talks on local history, and the annual Kristallnacht program, which explores the Jewish experience in the Holocaust.

 

Kennedy and her staff are planning a program to teach life skills like basic car maintenance and plumbing. "Things you might not have had the opportunity to learn from an adult, and now you're renting your first apartment or you're buying your first house and you're like, I don't know how to change a faucet."

 

How Books And Movies Are Chosen

Library staff members look at what patrons are checking out and what's popular when they decide what to add to the collection.

 

"We have a lot of mystery writers, a lot of suspense writers in our collection because that's what our community reads," says Kennedy. "Colleen Hoover is an example of an author who's incredibly popular right now, so we're going to buy all of her books because they just fly off the shelves. We look at our community and we'll say, okay there's a number of new entrepreneurs, so let's beef up our business section. We're paying attention to what's happening in our community and at the high school for our teen readers. The New York Times bestseller book list is another resource."

 

As for DVDs, TV series are very popular, everything from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Game Of Thrones.

 

The books and DVDs come mostly from big vendors that also sell to bookstores. "We do try to negotiate the prices," says Kennedy. "There are some things we get for less than what you would pay at a bookstore. Sometimes we buy things on Amazon or Barnes And Noble if they're not available from a vendor."

 

Library Resources

With your library card, you can access Ancestry.com and also explore genealogy in the local history room. "We have an archive of material related to the town of Farmington going back pretty far," says Kennedy. "Grand lists, so you can see who lived here. Maps of neighborhoods and streets - a lot of people come in and trace the history of their house."

 

There are also job search databases and a resource called Vet Now that helps veterans in their transition out of service and into civilian life. There's even a "library of things" where you can check out a toolkit, a GoPro camera, or a croquet set.

 

You don't have to live in Farmington to check out materials from the library. It's part of Library Connection Incorporated (LCI), a consortium of 32 libraries in the area that share collections, so an Avon library card can check out a book in Farmington, and vice versa. Canton, Burlington and Simsbury are all part of LCI.

 

 

Other Libraries

As you can probably guess, Kennedy enjoys library tourism. "I love every library because every library is unique and has some cool feature," she says. "I was at the New Britain Public Library last week and that building is really interesting because it's two old buildings with a newer building tying them together, and their children's room looks like a church. It has this cathedral ceiling and it's all wood. I lived in West Hartford for a number of years before I moved to Farmington, and their library is amazing. The Avon Library, I love their children's room."

 

Her favorite from an architectural perspective is in Seattle, where she lived in 2005 when she was at the University of Washington.

 

"The city of Seattle has a requirement that 1% of the budget for any public project has to go to art, so when they designed and built the Seattle Public Library, they incorporated art into the physical structure of the building," she says. "There's a wooden floor, and carved into the wooden floor it says 'read' in different languages. It has a big community room with these giant sail cloths that tap into the harbor of Seattle. It's a stunningly beautiful library."

 

Library Builds Community

Farmington's population is about 26,000, but Kennedy says it has a small-town feel.

 

"When you come into the library, it's like you're stepping into the community center," she says. "You're running into your neighbors and you're meeting new people and you're building those connections. If you're not tapped into the school community, or you're new to town, how do you meet people? We create that opportunity for connection."

 

"If you're working from home and you need to connect with people, come to the library," she adds. "We have study rooms. We have people that work from home come in and do their conference calls from the library. They check out one of our study rooms and they'll have meetings. It gets them out of the house. They get to see people. We have printers and wi-fi. It's an extension of your home office in lots of ways. And then you have the conversations with our staff or other patrons in the library. Our staff takes great pride in building relationships and meeting people where they are. Our patrons love the library. The folks who have found us come in and they're building community with us and with each other."

 

Just being around other people has benefits, according to Kennedy.

 

"If you're introverted, it's hard to meet people in a public space, especially when you're an adult, because we become inhibited. But the library's a space where you're not alone. You may not be interacting verbally with somebody, but you're occupying space with somebody else, and the opportunity is there. If you attend programs, then you can say, hey what did you think of that speaker? You can build friendships that way. Libraries are really powerful places because they provide something for everybody."

 

"My goal in the time that I'm at Farmington is to get every single resident of our community to have a library card," Kennedy says. "My favorite part of the job is interacting with the community and the staff. Hands down. Our staff is phenomenal. They're interesting and funny and smart and engaged. For me it's all about human interaction."

 

 

Kennedy lives in Farmington with her husband, Seth. Her son is now 29, and she has two stepchildren, ages 26 and 23. We met at Bruno's Cafe in Unionville, where we got to know her better with these "Coffee With" questions.

 

What do you like to do when you're not working?

I'm a big gardener. I spent a lot of my time from April until October in my yard. I have a vegetable garden, a cut-flower garden, shade gardens.

 

I like to visit our local farms. Last year, I discovered that I had grown a thousand-dollar tomato by the time I factored in all my time, effort and energy. And I thought, I could go to Sub-Edge or Hein Farm and just buy a tomato for two dollars. So I'm growing less vegetables and purchasing more from our local farmers. Farmington has an amazing farm community with so many amazing farm stands to visit.

 

I craft, so I do needle felting. I create creatures out of wool, and that's really fun. And I read a lot. I read about 125 books a year. That's about two books a week.

 

What is something you would like to learn?

We have a Maker Space in our library, and there was a person who was making cigar-box guitars. I'm not a musician, but I would like to learn how to make a cigar-box guitar. That's amazing. I'd also like to learn to sing well.

 

I would like to learn to be as open and joyful as the children who come into our library. The children who use our library have a lot to teach us.

 

What's a non-work-related talent you have?

I make really great floral arrangements, and I bring them to work. So come by the library and look for the floral arrangements.

 

What are some of the places you like to go in the area?

The Farmington Land Trust has a ton of properties with trails that are amazing. I like to go to the Hill-Stead Museum and walk around their property and look at the art there. I love the Athenaeum in Hartford.

 

What restaurants do you like?

I love Naples Pizza. I come to Bruno's, I like The Daily Grind for coffee. Sugo is a great spot for lunch if you like Italian food. Three Amigos, which is over by Highland Park, has great Mexican food.

 

What wisdom would you give to your younger self?

Don't sweat the small stuff. My younger self worried about a lot of stuff that didn't matter.

 

When you leave the Farmington Library eventually, what legacy would you like to leave?

I would like people to experience, when they come into the library, that they feel seen and they feel heard. That they see themselves, whatever that looks like, in the library.

  

Jocelyn Kennedy and Monique Kucia, Assistant Director for Finance and Administration, at the entrance to the Children's Room which was transformed into a castle for "Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds," the library's summer reading program theme. (credit: Emma Beecher)

Jocelyn's Top 5 Books

 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

"I think it was the first chapter book I read. Every year I read it and I get something different out of it."

 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

"I read that in 10th grade for English class. We received the book on a Friday and were told to read the first chapter. On Monday morning, the teacher asked us to hand the books back in because a parent had complained about the book. That was my first experience with book banning. I love the book in and of itself, but it also has a lot of impact in some of the work I do in libraries around intellectual freedom."

 

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

"I particularly love the line where the rabbit says to the old Buckskin horse, 'What is real?' and the horse says, 'Real isn't something you are, it's something you become.' It's not until you're worn down and faded and people forget about you that you really become real, but once you're real, no one can take that from you. That just is such a powerful message."

 

The House At Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne

"It's the greatest philosophy book I think you'll ever read."

 

The Stand by Stephen King

"A phenomenal story about humanity and the apocalypse and good and evil and how we all can make choices based on adversity. We have two paths we can choose."

 

Among her favorite writers, Kennedy names Ian McEwan and V. C. Andrews.

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Valley Happenings

UPDATED:

Fighting Cancer Pasta Dinner:

Benefit for Avon Volunteer Fire Department

Deputy Chief Dave Theriault

Sunday, February 23, 2025, 3:00-7:00 p.m. 

Farmington Polo Club, 162 Town Farm Road, Farmington

 

AVFD Deputy Chief of Administration Dave Theriault is facing a tough battle against Stage 4 cancer. The AVFD, along with Tunxis Hose Co. No. 1 and the Farmington Fire Department, is holding a pasta dinner to help raise money for Chief Theriault’s medical expenses. Cheese and crackers from 3:00-4:00 p.m., buffet from 4:00-6:00 p.m., and coffee and dessert from 6:00-7:00 p.m. In addition to delicious food, drinks, and camaraderie, the event will feature dozens of raffle prizes. Event tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under 10 years old. They can be purchased at the door or online at www.HometownFoundation.org Contributions can be made via Venmo @supportDave or by mail to the AVFD at 25 Darling Drive, Avon, CT 06001. 

Canton Community Health Fund Applications

Canton Community Health Fund, Inc. Opens 2025 Application Season, on March 1, 2025, for Canton Community Partner Grants & Canton Scholars Pursuing Careers in Healthcare or Public Safety Canton Community Health Fund, Inc. (CCHF), opens its grant and scholarship application season March 1. CCHF encourages State of CT certified non-profits serving the Canton community to apply for Community Partner grants. In addition, graduating high school seniors seeking higher education in healthcare or public safety are invited to apply for either a Dr. Diters Legacy Scholarship or a Pay It Forward Scholarship. Applications and informative Fact Sheets are available online at www.cantoncommunityhealthfund.org.  Community Partner Grant and Scholarship awards will be announced in June/2025.

 

Avon Library events

AVON –The following events are scheduled at Avon Free Public Library. The library is at Avon Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon. All programs are in person except where noted. For more information on adult programs, contact Adult Services Reference Desk via avonref@avonctlibrary.info 860-673-9712 x 7203

• Antique Map Collecting 101, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. Registration is required: https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/antique-map-collecting/

• Morning Book Club. Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m., The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, Registration is required: https://www.avonctlibrary.info/events/tag/morning-book-club/

• Meditation for Balance and Inner Contentment. (Virtual Event) Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 pm.

• Eastern Coyotes in Connecticut (Virtual Event) Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

• Fashion and the First Lady (Virtual Event). Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.

• Hoop Skirts to Flappers: Eighty Years of Connecticut Fashion. Monday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

• The Golden Age of Hollywood. (Virtual Event) Tuesday, March 4 at 2 pm.

 

Simsbury Lions Club

The Simsbury Lions Club is looking for people interested in volunteering and contributing to better our town. Our motto is “We serve,” and we do so by volunteering at local events and donating our proceeds to serving interests in our community.

If interested, please feel free to contact Sandy Kremer at Tprkremer@gmail.com or Philip Painchaud at painchaudp@gmail.com.”

 

Winter sowing workshop

The Farmington Land trust is hosting a winter sowing workshop focused on raising native plants. Make your own up-cycled greenhouse from a milk jug and prep some beneficial native plants for the coming growing season. Sunday, Feb 2 from 11a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Farmington Senior Center. RSVP here: https://www.farmingtonlandtrust.org/event-details/winter-sowing-seminar-native-seed-planting

 

Wild Flowers from Spring to Fall

CANTON – The Cherry Brook Garden Club is hosting a lecture on “Following Our Wild Flowers from Spring to Fall” on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. at the Canton Community Center, lower level, 40 Dyer Avenue. Steve Messier, Lichenologist and former Science teacher at Canton High School will discuss the topic. The lecture is open to the public. There is a $5 guest fee for non-members. Email questions to cherrybrookgardenclub@gmail.com.

 

‘Five Wishes’ at McLean

SIMSBURY – Join Kevin Baran, M.D., medical director, and the McLean Hospice Team for a special “McLean & Me Educational Series” presentation to learn how to talk about and record your wishes for care through the end of life, so those wishes can be understood and respected. The presentation will be held at McLean’s Garmany Performing Arts Center, 50 Sarah Lane, Simsbury, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. The presentation is free but an RSVP by Feb. 4 is required as seating is limited. A light dinner will be provided.

To register, visit McLeanCare.org/Events, email Margaret.Clark@McLeanCare.org, or call 860-658-3718.

 

‘Art Throb!’ Exhibit

Gallery on the Green presents “Art Throb!” Exhibit plus a Solo Exhibit by Kathi Packer Friday, Feb. 14 through Saturday, March 15. An opening reception is on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 6-8 p.m. and will include refreshments. The show and reception are free.

“Art Throb!” is a heartfelt Valentine’s Day celebration presented by the membership of Canton Artists’ Guild. The artists use a wide range of media including painting, prints, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics and mixed media to represent the emotional intensity, joy and complexity of love.

In the upstairs Gallery, Kathi Packer has a solo show, “Another Tale.”  Packer notes that a friend’s casual invitation to go on safari in 2008 substantially changed the direction of her artistic journey.The gallery is located near the intersection of Dowd Avenue and Route 44 at 5 Canton Green Road in Canton. Hours are Friday – Sunday, 1-5 pm. The main floor gallery is handicapped accessible.

Website: http://www.galleryonthegreen.org; Phone:  860-693-4102

 

TABLESCAPES fundraiser returns to benefit the new

Avon History Museum

AVON – The Avon Historical Society invites the public to its sixth TABLESCAPES event showcasing up to 30 creative and original table settings on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 at the historic North House, 1 Nod Road, Avon.

This event will feature themed table settings from local professional designers, florists, businesses, individuals, artists and others featuring fresh floral arrangements, centerpieces and accessories. Proceeds will benefit the installation of professionally curated exhibits in the new Avon History Museum scheduled to open on Friday, July 4, 2025.

Back by popular demand will be a “Table and Barware Tag Sale” on both days. Admission to TABLESCAPES includes the tag sale. Tickets are $20 each pre-sale and at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at www.avonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling Mary Harrop at 860-670-3225 before March 8.

Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can also call Harrop.

 

Alzheimer’s Support Group

FARMINGTON – Hearts, Hugs & Hope: An Alzheimer’s Support Group takes place Feb. 20, 2025, 6 p.m. at Farmington Station Assisted Living and Memory Care Community, 111 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. This group is being offered both in person and via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month. If you plan to attend, contact Director of Compass Programming Katherine Jedynasty at kjedynasty@farmingtonslr.com.

 

Used book sale

AVON - A huge book sale will be held Feb. 28 and March 1 in St. Ann’s Church Hall, 289 Arch Road at Route 167.  Hours are Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ($5 adult admission) and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (no admission fee).

Thousands of books will be organized in separate sections, including Fiction, History, Biography, Politics, Children, Music, Cooking, Sports, Art, Vintage, and more!  A large selection of Children’s books will be available.  Fiction books will be divided by hardcover, paperback, and trade paperback and sorted alphabetically by author.  DVDs, CDs, books on CDs, Vinyl records, and puzzles will be available, also.  Most books will be $3 or less with vintage and specialty books priced higher.

 

Daisy Days: All-Girls Summer Day Camp Experience

FARMINGTON – Miss Porter’s School, a renowned institution with a legacy of empowering young women, is excited to announce the launch of Daisy Days, an all-new day camp for girls entering grades 3-5 this fall. Starting this summer, Daisy Days will offer a unique, joy-filled experience designed to spark creativity, build confidence, and inspire self-discovery in an empowering all-girls environment.

For additional details, visit pcgl.porters.org/daisy-days.

 

Artist demonstration

Avon Arts Association will hold a guest artist demonstration featuring  Granby artist Laura Eden on Tuesday, February 18 at  Avon Town Hall, 60 W. Main St., lower level, at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Eden will demonstrate egg tempera painting.

The demo is free and open to the public ($5 suggested donation). A workshop with Ms. Eden will be held at the same location in the Avon Room on Saturday, Feb. 22, 10-2 with  set up at 9:30. Fee: $45 for members, $55 for nonmembers). www.AvonArts.org

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