Peter Leonard moved across the country in 1996 to become the Executive Director of the Cedar Mill Community Library. He had worked at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and was the director of the Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania library. He hadn’t been looking for a new job, but when he saw the position announcement it seemed like a great fit for his background, and he and his wife had been thinking of moving to the west. He became the third professional director in the library’s history since its beginning as a volunteer-run organization in the mid-1970s.

He has seen many changes during his time here. Card catalogs had already given way to the Dynix search system, but it was standalone, not connected to the fairly new internet. In 1998, WCCLS, the county library cooperative, adopted the web-based Polaris system.

The use of computers and smartphones has changed the world of research and reading. E-books now make up around 40% of the library’s circulation. They are much more expensive to provide than physical books, since they have to be licensed—some have annual license fees, and some are paid for per number of checkouts. That’s part of why the Washington County Cooperative Library Service levy replacement is so important.

Many neighbors use the computers at the library if they don’t have connectivity at home. Ongoing classes teach computer use to seniors and others.

As the neighborhood grew, the library needed to expand but it was limited by the size of the building, so in 2007 the Bethany Library opened, and the name changed to Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries. Similar to how the Bales-Findley company has supported the Cedar Mill location, Roy Kim, the head of Central Bethany Development, facilitated providing space. A new larger library space in Bethany is still needed, but without city financing ability, partnering with a developer is the only way to meet that need.

Leonard is proud of how library services expanded outside library walls.  Staff addressed the need of so many kids entering school without being ready to learn by developing Bookshare, an outreach program for daycare sites.  Today staff and volunteers visit 70 local small daycares, bringing books and story times and teaching providers how to get kids excited about reading. Library staff also visit more than 500 classrooms each year and attend multiple community events and senior residences to introduce new residents to the library.

Classes, events, and activities in the libraries provide enrichment for all ages. Teens head to the library after school and families visit on weekends. Baby, toddler and preschool groups help parents introduce their kids to reading and connect with others.

Leonard will retire at the end of the year. A retirement party will be held for him on December 5, 6-8 pm at the Cedar Mill Library.

After a national search conducted by the Library Board, one candidate rose to the top. Angela Mollet, Cedar Mill & Bethany Library’s current Adult Services and Community Engagement manager, was selected. Angela worked at the Cedar Mill Library since 2020 and has proven to be a skilled manager who has overseen a variety of library improvement projects, community surveys, and planning. Angela has past experience as a public library director in Massachusetts, and has been involved in both staff and board roles at non-profits. She will assume her new role in December.

Leonard’s plans for retirement include catching up on his own reading (!), travel including a trip to Mexico in the spring, and spending time with family, including a granddaughter. His son Patrick owns Postcard Bookshop, a travel-focused bookstore in Portland.