Lane Library Staff Page

Amanda Reynolds Cooper, Library Director

Amanda Reynolds Cooper

Favorite Things

  • I love the ocean and marine science. I studied marine invertebrates in college before becoming a librarian.
  • Travel. I have lived in England and Chile and have seen many of the countries of Eastern Europe as well as Peru. I am eagerly anticipating a trip to South Africa in the near future and to any Spanish speaking country when I can.

Reading Interests

  • I read a lot of teen and juvenile fiction. I find the characters more relateable and the plots more compelling. Recently read greats include: The Undrowned Child by Michelle Lovric and The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle
  • I love audio books! I love being read to and the performances on many audio recordings of books are amazing, adding a layer of interpretation on top of the words on the page. Simon Prebble's performance of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke is outstanding.

Darrell Eifert, Head of Public Services

Darrell Eifert

Favorite things:

  • I am an avid photographer, with a keen interest in the landscapes and seascapes of the United Kingdom.  Having lived in Glasgow, Scotland for a year, I gained a deep appreciation of the people, history and places unique to "the Scepter'd Isle".
  • Computers and technology, with a special focus on the free Linux operating system and Open Source applications. I'm also fascinated by the evolution of computer games, from the simple (but addictive) arcade classics of my misspent youth to modern immersive simulations.
  • I will also admit to an omnivorous delight in films and film history, including Hollywood classics, Looney Tunes, Film Noir, French New Wave, Japanese cinema and the brilliant hand-crafted animations of Hayao Miyazaki.  Watching a good movie is time well spent ...   

Reading interests:

  • One of my earliest reading memories was the discovery that there were 14 (!) Oz books by L. Frank Baum.  That led to a lifelong love of science fiction and fantasy, with a special soft spot for Golden Age authors such as Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Andre Norton, Robert A. Heinlein, and the wonderful space operas of E.E. "Doc" Smith. I enjoy young adult fiction of all kinds, have made sporadic forays into the world of British procedurals, and will earnestly recommend the philosophical hilarity of Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" novels to any and all. 

Paulina Shadowens, Head of Children's Services

Paulina Shadowens

Favorite Things

  • Oh, so many! 
  • I am passionate about literature (no surprise there! =), history, art, interior design, fashion history, organic living, animals, architecture, music, and movies.
    Travel.
  • I’ve lived in Puerto Rico, have traveled a bit in Europe (UK, France, and Iceland), and enjoyed day jaunts to Mexico and Canada, but am itching to do lots more traveling.
  • I’m a “language magpie” and enjoy collecting words from countries all over the world. If you need someone to count to four in Finnish or ask how you are in Welsh, I’m your girl.

Reading Interests

  • I’m an omnivorous reader with a special place in my heart for children’s classics such as The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Little Women, Johnny Tremain, the Prydain series, and A Wrinkle in Time.  I am in awe of illustrators NC Wyeth and Trina Schart Hyman.
  • I love the wit and wisdom of Jane Austen, GK Chesterton, and CS Lewis.
  • Nathaniel Philbrick, Jon Krakauer, and Bill Bryson are 3 of my favorite non-fiction authors. I was also impressed by Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales, which examines why some survive catastrophes and others don’t.
  • Audiobooks are my constant car companion.  Jim Dale and Frank Muller are two of the best narrators going—listening to them is like hearing an entire—and amazing--acting company. 

Stacy Mazur, Teen Services Librarian

Stacy Mazur

Favorite things:

  • I love to run and kayak. I play board games, video games, enjoy all things sci-fi/fantasy, anime/manga, and most nerdy pursuits. As a Teen Librarian I get to interact most days with art, games, and young inquisitive minds.
  • I’m a New England transplant. I spent a number of my early years moving around the states and Europe but have found a home here on the Seacoast. Being near the ocean and around so many small towns with great people makes me happy to be part of the seacoast community.
  • I got my Undergraduate Degree in Anthropology. Learning about people, in both the past and the present, and discovering why they do what they do, their story, is fascinating.

Reading interests:

  • Reading caught a hold of me in fifth grade and hasn’t let go yet. I love finding a story that will captivate a person. Better yet when it brings them back for more. It just takes one good book to make a life long reader. I tend towards books in the science fiction and fantasy genre, with a dabbling of romantic novels. I collect antiquated, old pulp, and children’s books to an almost hording level of compulsion.

  • Some of my favorite authors are Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Carol Berg, Tad Williams, Libba Bray, Elizabeth Bear, Emma Bull, Raymond E. Feist, Diana Wayne Jones, Robin McKillip, Patricia A. McKillip , Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, and Sharon Shinn.

 

Kevin Robbitts, Head of Technical Services

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Favorite things:

  • I like all sorts of stuff; some of my hobbies
    include reading (semi-stereotypically), racquetball (and most racquet
    sports), frisbee, disc golf, board games, card games, cooking, etc. I
    enjoy TV/movies but I am extremely bad at pursuing them as a hobby.

Reading interests:


  • Generally fiction. I read mainly speculative fiction (GRRM, Robin
    Hobb, Joe Abercrombie, Diana Wynne Jones, Ursula Le Guin, many
    others) with a slight bias towards fantasy.

  • I also enjoy many graphic
    novels (Walking Dead, etc.) and some manga. In terms of more normal
    fiction, I am fond of stuff by Alexandre Dumas, Cormac McCarthy,
    Gaiman, Ishiguro .. and many others.

 

Jenn Beigel, Technical Services Librarian

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Favorite things:

  • Books. I was an avid reader growing up and an English major in college, so becoming a librarian was a natural progression for me!
    Animals, especially dogs.
  • Baseball, in particular the Phillies, though the Red Sox are growing on me after two years of living in Boston.
  • My home state of Maryland.

Reading interests:

  • I mostly read science fiction and fantasy. Some of my favorites are Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Tamora Pierce, J.K. Rowling, Diane Duane, Victoria Schwab, and Seanan McGuire.
  • I also enjoy the occasional romance novel, especially historical romances by Courtney Milan, Rose Lerner, and Tessa Dare.
  • I fell in love with Jane Austen in high school and she remains one of my favorite authors to this day.

 

Kathleen Hall, ILL / Public Services Assistant Librarian

Kathleen Hall

Favorite things:

  • My multicultural, multilingual, multitalented, conventionally-challenged family. Trekking around the woods looking for signs of birds and other wildlife – especially in snowshoes. Tide pooling and being near or in any kind of water. Traveling to warm climates.

Reading interests:


  • Historical fiction and non-fiction. Recent reads that I loved: The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman, The Secret Keepers by Kate Morton, The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, Reading the Forested Landscape by Tom Wessels.

 

Lisa Beaudry, Public Services Assistant

Lisa Beaudry

Favorite things:

  • My interests are varied—I’m a “jack of all trades” but master of none. As an example, I enjoy sailing—but don’t ask me to dead reckon---put me on a heading and I’m happy.  I ski but am a fair weather skier and forget the moguls; I enjoy gardening but, honestly, mowing the lawn has become tedious….and, I enjoy helping folks—this is a tough one to articulate because the “Help” comes in many forms—but cooking isn’t one of them!!

Reading interests:

  • I’m a “non-fiction” girl. I’ve followed my mother’s footsteps and enjoy reading about the “stars” and current events. Oddly, my favorite book is Nancy Drew’s The Mystery of Lilac Inn because it brings me back to my childhood and a carefree time of enjoying hot, summer days!  And, lilacs remain my favorite flower.

 

Claudia Cyrus, Public Services Assistant

Claudia Cyrus

Favorite things:

  • I'm happy to have found the Lane Memorial Library. Having been a teacher, a theatre person, and in the corporate world, I am very pleased to have returned to my first love -- BOOKS!!

Reading interests:

  • Historical mysteries and contemporary mysteries set in other countries allow vicarious travel and insight into other cultures and the universal human psyche.

 

Rose Hanley, Public Services Assistant

Female silhouette

Favorite things:

  • It is no secret that I am a huge fan of The Patriots.  Less known is my love of the National women's soccer (USWNT).  Love them both!!
  • Going to my boys sporting events and cheering them on.
  • Going to Boston to meet up with my family.
  • My summer friends in my little neighborhood.  Just relaxing!!
  • Games....any kind.
  • TV shows with physical competitions like Survivor and  American Ninja Warrior.
  • Golfing.
  • Girls night out!!
  • Reading, of course.

Reading interests:

  • I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. I used to visit my local children's library. Loved looking at all the books and finding the perfect one. I can remember Scholastic and Arrow books. My classmates and I would pick out our books and anxiously await the delivery. Then we would pass them around. I have always loved mysteries. Started with the Hardy boys and Nancy Drew. I also read my mothers books like Cherry Ames and Trixie Beldon. Loved them! I enjoy psychological thrillers and books that make you think. I love any books with vampires, etc. I like series and the development of characters.
  • Favorite authors are Patricia Cornwell, Linda Castillo, Lisa Gardner, Tess Gerritsen, Dan Brown, and James Rollins.

 

Chris Singleton, Public Services Assistant

Female silhouette

Favorite things:

  • Family and friends!  I love living on the Seacoast and enjoying everything the area has to offer.  Some of my favorites include being at the beach (is there anything better than sitting at the beach with a great book?!) … lobsterfests, swimming, beach walking, collecting heart rocks and sea glass, biking, gardening, kayaking, and any sort of fresh air exercise. I can spend hours walking in the woods looking for tracks and other hidden treasures.   I’m also an avid photographer, and (like Stan) enjoy cat herding in my spare time.

Reading interests:

  • When I was in the 5th Grade, I decided to read every book in my then library's childrens room starting at the As.  While that was obviously impossible it contributed to my love of reading anything and everything.  Some early favorites include The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, The Princess and the Goblin, and The Secret Garden.  I enjoy historical fiction/nonfiction, true crime, mysteries, thrillers, and "what if" stories, along with anything by Maeve Binchy.

 

Sharon Svirsky, Public Services Assistant

Female silhouette

Favorite things:

  • Spending time with my son and family, especially my two beautiful granddaughters.
  • Animal lover, especially dogs.
  • Enjoy traveling which may have been developed by growing up in the Air Force. (Mention travel and I say where?, when?)
  • Getting together with friends for dinner, movie, play, hiking, playing a game, or just for a coffee and chat.
  • Love taking walks at the beach, or just sitting with a good book looking out over the ocean.

Reading interests:

  • Having always loved to read and having been a former teacher, working in a library is perfect. When I'm not reading children's books to my granddaughters, I enjoy reading mostly fiction.  A variety of historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and an occasional romance.  Audio books go along with me when taking road trips.  (ex. Stephen King, Liane Moriarty, Jeannette Walls, Danielle Steele)

 

Karen Weinhold, Public Services Assistant

Karen Weinhold

Favorite things:

  • Family is #1! Husband, children, grandchildren, siblings, etc. take top priority. I love to read, walk, golf do crosswords and play word games, eat and bake. We have traveled near and far, by planes, trains and automobiles--and river boats! There are many more destinations we hope to visit, including northern Italy and the Pacific Northwest.

Reading interests:

  • I am an eclectic and voracious reader, enjoying 20th Century historical fiction, memoirs, autobiographies and mysteries the most. At home I choose actual books over e-readers, and always have an audio book in the car. Because I can read anywhere, I am never bored!

 

Wendy Rega, Children's Services Assistant Librarian

Wendy Rega

Favorite things:

  • Kids (It’s not an accident I work in the Children’s Room!), books, renovating my house with my husband, traveling, Liverpool Football, cooking and baking.

Reading interests:

  • Romance (Eloisa James, Nora Roberts, Lisa Kleypas, Susan Elizabeth Phillips); Urban Fantasy (Karen Marie Moning, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher); Fantasy (Deborah Harkness, Diana Gabaldon); Action/Crime (Lee Child, John Sandford, Janet Evanovich, J.D. Robb); Kids (J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Jeanne Birdsall, Laura Ingalls Wilder)

 

Liz Premo, Children's Services Associate

Liz Premo

Favorite things:

  • My absolute top favorites are my wonderful family, my great friends, my awesome church, my super co-workers, and my terrific jobs – I love them all. I also love live theatre, going to great restaurants, listening to all kinds of music, appreciating fine art, crafting and creating (especially for the Children’s Room), and computing.

  • I love my Hampton home! I am an original New Englander, and growing up as a Navy brat I have lived on both coasts as well as in Hawai’i. After all those years of traveling from state to state, it was nice to finally become “grounded.” My husband and I chose to settle in Hampton more than 30 years ago because we both love the town and because we felt it would be a great place to raise our family. We were right!

Reading interests:

  • Among my absolute all-time favorite books are the Holy Bible, "Champagne for the Soul: Celebrating God's Gift of Joy," "The Message," "Little Women," "The Hiding Place," "Diary of Anne Frank," "Charlotte's Web," "Beautiful Joe: A Dog's Own Story," Nancy Drew mysteries, and many others. My favorite writers include C.S. Lewis, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ray Bradbury, Colleen McCullough, et al. I especially love short story collections, craft and needle art books, and big, colorful photographic coffee table books. I have also been known to read the dictionary and assorted reference books just for fun.
  • As a member of the Children’s Room staff, I have enjoyed “catching up” on all kinds of current titles, mainly so I can better serve our youngest patrons. Among my favorites: “Wonder,” “Counting by Sevens,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “Punk Farm,” and many more to come!