As originally published in the April 12 issue of The Mountain-Ear newspaper.

Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.

After three years of taking care of the Nederland Community Library needs, Director Jay Mann is following the exodus from the East foothills to the Western Slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, taking a position managing the Paonia Branch Library of the Delta County Library District.

According to the Library Board, Mann has been a great asset to the Nederland Community Library, understanding what patrons need and even knowing what genre of literature many of them prefer. Often, he would guide someone to a new book just come in that he knew would be appreciated.

Mann also was responsible for many other successful projects and an uncanny sense of what interested most people. Mann said he is now moving on to a warmer climate, to a place that features affordable housing, to an area that prides itself in quiet forests, wide open spaces and fruit orchards. Mann came to Nederland in January of 2015 from Dolores, Colorado where he had been the assistant director of the library.

He came to Ned and began working with the NCL Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers, bringing in an emphasis on programming and plans to expand on what the perception that people have of what a library should be.

In the past three years, he took over the Trivia games at Salto, made thermal cameras available to clients and increased the DVD and CD collection. He also saved the district a bunch of debt money when he found a way to refinance the bond.

Mann worked to stabilize the HVAC system, and fixed the district boundary issue, by working with property owners and the Boulder County Assessors Office before amending the IGA with Boulder County.

“I think I am most proud of completing the community survey and assessments that led to a new strategic plans, providing a path for the next few years to focus on, based on information from the survey. It is important to ask the people what they want.”

With a just a few weeks ahead of him to prepare for taking over his new position on May 1, Mann says he wished he had taken more advantage of the Nederland’s recreation resources. He says the biggest challenge was to serve the majority of residents whose time is mostly spent down below.

In the past couple years, the NCL has brought in about 50,000 clients a year and Mann’s wish is to see that patronage expanded.

“The libraries that succeed in the future will be about community spaces, about programming experiences.”

The lures of the Western slope are many. Mann says $1,600 a month will get a small, two-bedroom home in Nederland and four-bedroom home in Paonia. He also said the change will help him realize a more balanced life, becoming the manager of a branch, rather than directing an entire system.

“I will get more time at the desk, being with the patrons. While I was in Nederland the wonderful staff and volunteers made my job a lot easier. The Foundation’s annual book sale was appreciated. So many people are involved in making a library successful.”

The NCL director position will be posted next week in a nationwide internet search and hiring process. Mann will be heading out at the end of the month and will be looking for a place to live in the next couple of weeks.