Turning the page: Mattapoisett on its way to hire new library director

MATTAPOISETT — Following the abrupt resignation of previous Mattapoisett Library Director Colleen Tierney in November 2024, the Library Board of Trustees has been in search of a permanent director to fill the role.

Two candidates will move forward to the next step of the hiring process and meet with the Select Board on Tuesday, April 22, following interviews with the library trustees that took place on Tuesday, April 8.

Texas-based librarian Jenny Martin was the first candidate chosen to meet with the Select Board for the next stage of the hiring process. The Library Trustees have not chosen their second candidate as of Monday, April 14.

With the new set of contenders for the role, Mattapoisett officials are looking to create a more rigorous hiring process in order to find a suitable long term director.

The three candidates being considered for the position are Martin, Michael Slawson and Nicole Davignon.

Martin has worked as a librarian and library media specialist for more than 11 years at Northwest Independent School District, which serves more than 32,000 students across 35 campuses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to information from LinkedIn and the district website.

In addition to library experience, Martin is also a published author of a young adult science fiction book titled “Tracked.”

“I liked her level of intelligence and her ability to articulate her thoughts very clearly. She’s also pretty experienced,” said Mattapoisett Library Trustee William Coquillette.

Michael Slawson previously worked as a library director at Kingston Public Library, leaving the position to become library director at Plympton Public Library in 2021, where he currently serves.

Candidate Nicole Davignon currently works as library director at Freetown Public Libraries.

“We’re looking for a high standard,” Coquillette said. “It’s reflected in a number of ways, but being able to create programming that really engages the community — I think we’ve been successful doing that — but we want to see that continue and we need to do a strategic plan in the relatively near future.”

He explains that the intensive hiring process has undergone several phases, including an initial search process headed by a special screening committee who recommended potential candidates deemed appropriate for the position.

Ultimately, the process was narrowed down to the three candidates currently being considered.

The Select Board requested to meet with two candidates rather than just one in order to thoroughly assess how each potential hire will fit the role.

Previous library director Tierney left the position after working for only eight months, attributing her resignation to internal conflicts with the town of Mattapoisett and “concerns for the safety of the staff and myself,” according to a statement sent to Sippican Week from Tierney.

At the time, there were some disagreements relating to the Lamb of God Christian Church’s usage of public library space to host Bible studies. In mid-December, the Select Board placed a moratorium on the use of public meeting spaces in town buildings, but it is not clear if this action was prompted by the conflict with the church.

The Select Board will interview the two candidates on Tuesday, April 22 to determine who is best fit for the role and move forward with the hiring decision following their analysis.

“The Mattapoisett Library is a wonderful institution and so we need a high quality director,” said Coquillette.