MCPL’s Bethesda branch, located at 7400 Arlington Road in Bethesda, was refreshed and reopened on April 14 with a new name, the Connie Morella Library.
The facility was renamed to honor Connie Morella who served Montgomery County in the Maryland General Assembly from 1979 to 1986 and represented Montgomery County and Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2003. Following her congressional service, Ms. Morella was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development from 2003 until 2007. She is a founding member of the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame and served as second President of the Montgomery County Commission for Women.
In addition to a new name, the refreshed facility includes new sit-stand circulation, information, and self-checkout workstations; renovation of the public restrooms; new roof, painting and flooring; two new collaboration spaces; upgraded-lighting with improved energy-efficient and brighter LED lamps; outside enhancements which include a new book drop and refurbished bike rack; some new furniture; motorized window shades, and upgraded walkways and entrances that improved accessibility for people with disabilities. Stop by and check it out!
Virginia “Ginny” Baran is a Library Associate II-J at Connie Morella. She is proud to be a native Washingtonian. She and her husband, Bob, live in Bethesda and have raised two children in the home where she spent most of her childhood. Now she enjoys introducing the wonderful world of books to her two granddaughters, who frequently attend library storytimes. A graphic artist, elementary school substitute teacher, and a family daycare provider are some of the positions that she has held over time.
In 1997, she began her career with MCPL as a Children's Library Associate at the Silver Spring branch. She says, “I experience real joy when a child returns to the library with the request 'Do you have any more books like the one you gave me last week?'" It's a difficult choice, but if she had to name three of her favorite authors they would be Avi, Chris Van Allsburg, and Jon Scieszka. She loves reading and is passionate about exploring nature through gardening, kayaking, and bicycling. Ginny says, “I am delighted to be at the Connie Morella Library, my home library. Even though the building and its location are different from when I would visit as a youngster, the wonderful sense of community remains strong! Please stop by and introduce yourself.”
Asmeret Bekit is a Library Associate II at Connie Morella. She was born in Asmera, the capital city of Eritrea, a small country in East Africa. She comes from a large family of five brothers and four sisters. In 1988 she immigrated to the United States and joined her brothers in Boston. Asmeret worked in retail and the restaurant industry while attending college. After moving to Montgomery County from Massachusetts, she graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in accounting. While working for Marriott in their accounting department, she also subbed as a circulation specialist for MCPL. After two years, she married and subsequently had two children.
Asmeret decided to work part-time and left Marriott for MCPL. She worked at Long Branch, Twinbrook, Silver Spring, and Bethesda (now Connie Morella). Even though she enjoyed working at the circulation desk, working as an information specialist was one of Asmeret’s goals. She achieved that goal when was hired as a Library Associate and completed the State of Maryland's Library Associates' Training Institute. One of her favorite jobs has been working with new technology and teaching customers how to download audiobooks and e-books from our collections. For the last two years she has participated in training older adults in using basic iPad technology. This program was in partnership with OATS, Older Adults Technology Services … “Harnessing the power of technology to change the way we age.” Asmeret loves her work but, when not at the library, she enjoys spending time with her family. All of her siblings, and her mother, have become US citizens and most live in the Silver Spring area. Since family is very important to them, they have frequent get-togethers. She also enjoys cooking and listening to audiobooks.
Chris Borawski (left) with Connie
Morella, and a MCPL coworker.
Chris Borawski is the Senior Librarian/Assistant Branch Manager of the Connie Morella branch. Born in Youngstown, Ohio and raised in Battle Creek, MI and southeastern PA, he received his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Central Michigan University and his Master’s of Science in Information from the University of Michigan. Though he has been working in libraries since high school, he began his MCPL career nearly 15 years ago as a children’s librarian at Wheaton. He has been a senior librarian since 2007, first at Wheaton and then Silver Spring, Bethesda (now Connie Morella), and Poolesville (now Maggie Nightingale), before returning to Bethesda in 2013. He’s also spent temporary stints at Potomac and MCPL’s Administrative Offices. Outside of the library, he enjoys singing in his church choir, walking/hiking in many of our nearby parks, travelling, rooting for the Nationals and Orioles, as well as his hometown Tigers, and spending time with his brother, sister-in-law, and baby niece who are currently living in Arlington, VA while stationed at the Pentagon.
Colleen East
Colleen East is a Library Desk Assistant (LDA) at Connie Morella. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science from the University of Maryland. She started her career at MCPL in 2014 as a library aide at Long Branch. She volunteered to take photos at special library events and to represent the libraries in the annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade and the Community Greening program. She eventually became a substitute LDA working at Aspen Hill, White Oak, and Gaithersburg libraries. In 2015, she secured a position as an LDA at Bethesda (now Connie Morella) where she loves serving customers at the circulation desk and maintaining the community bulletin boards and local resource areas within the branch.
Colleen says her strength is learning from others as she believes that other people’s experiences stimulate her own growth to come up with new ideas on her own to perform her job more efficiently. Her greatest asset is delivering great customer service, greeting customers with a smile, and assisting them with all library needs. She enjoys learning and exploring new opportunities, particularly in digital technology innovation. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, playing guitar, writing songs, reading mysteries, attending community events, outdoor sports, and being first mate while sailing with her dad.
