Lifelong library lover begins new chapter

By NEAL RENTZ

Libraries have long been a passion for Carrie Bickner of South Salem. The Michigan native is the Lewisboro Library’s newly appointed director.

Carrie Bickner recently became the Lewisboro Library director. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

She explained recently why she pursued the post.

“I was so enthusiastic about this position that it’s hard to know where to start,” Bickner said. 

Bickner has spent much of her career at New York City public libraries, “which brought me into contact with curious, thoughtful people from every walk of life: artists, writers, scholars, and everyday readers pursuing their own questions.”

“I loved that independent life of the mind woven into the fabric of public life, and I find the same creative, intellectual, and civic engagement here,” she said. 

She grew up in a small Michigan town.

“I was surrounded by a landscape shaped by glaciers, full of rolling hills, creeks, and trees,” she said. “Lewisboro’s glacial terrain has its own unique character, yet it feels deeply familiar. Taking this role brings together that sense of home with the rich intellectual community I loved in New York.”

Bickner said the Lewisboro Library was a natural fit.

“I was drawn to the library’s vibrant programs, diverse collections, and the dedicated board, staff, and community that support it,” she said. “The library’s mission is equally special, serving six distinct hamlets. It acts as the unifying thread across the entire town.”

Bickner said she has been impressed with the variety of titles available at the Lewisboro Library and its programs, including art and science activities for children.

Her most recent job before coming to the Lewisboro Library was as a systems librarian at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Mich. She moved to Michigan for family reasons after living in New York for many years. “Coming to Lewisboro is both a return to New York and the beginning of a new chapter,” Bickner said. 

Bickner studied at the University of Michigan, and her first library job was in circulation at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. She also worked in the reference department at the Rackham Graduate Library and in archival processing.

“Those jobs introduced me to the range of work a library could hold,” she said. 

Bickner earned a master’s degree in information at the University of Michigan. She also taught graduate courses at the Pratt Institute School of Information for eight years and worked as a writer, communications strategist, and consultant for libraries, museums, and other cultural organizations.

Bickner recalled the reasons she wanted a career in the library field.

“Growing up, my mother, my sister, and I walked everywhere. Our world was bounded by the places we could reach on foot, and we went to the library every day,” she said. “I grew up lying on the floor between the stacks. The library gave me safety, comfort, and the pleasure of discovery.”

Her first job at The New York Public Library was as a reference librarian. She worked with children’s and young adult librarians, adult literacy specialists, and subject and special collections librarians across the research libraries, including the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Science, Industry and Business Library.

“My 10 years at The New York Public Library gave me a broad education in librarianship, with leadership roles in technology, teaching and learning, and exhibitions and public programs,” Bickner said.

Libraries are important in 2026, particularly in Lewisboro, Bickner said. “Libraries make room for independent inquiry and shared experience,” she said. “People can follow a private interest, ask for help, encounter an unfamiliar idea, or join a conversation.”“As technology changes how we find and evaluate information, librarians bring judgment, context, and a commitment to public service,” Bickner said. “Here in Lewisboro, the library is also a place where reading, music, science, art and practical learning are part of community life. It gives people of different ages and interests reasons to come together.”

Bickner said she is listening to her staff and residents and learning about current library programs. 

“My interests include preservation, local history, and helping people navigate new technology,” Bickner said. “I look forward to exploring those possibilities with colleagues and community partners. New programs should grow from local interests and needs.”

Bickner is eager to learn more about Lewisboro and its hamlets.

“The library is common ground, and I want to build relationships across the town with cultural organizations, nonprofits, schools, municipal agencies and local businesses,” she said. “My dedicated colleagues have built so much here. I want to support their work and help it grow, drawing on their experience and the interests of the community.”

“There has been a library in this spot for 228 years,” she said, “and I’m honored to build on that legacy and build a strong foundation so that our collections, programs and services are available well into the future.”