Caledon, ON – Library Staff and the Board bid farewell to an invaluable colleague and friend as Caledon Public Library (CPL) announces the retirement of Kelley Potter, Public Service Director, effective March 22, 2024.
“Kelley’s contributions to the Library since she first joined the team back in 1995 are immeasurable”, states Colleen Lipp, Caledon Public Library’s CEO & Chief Librarian. “Most recently, her commitment to ensuring positive experiences for our customers is evident in the creation of new and reimagined branches and the development of CPL’s Customer Service Promise. Kelley’s legacy and impact on CPL will be long felt and her compassionate approach to leadership will be missed.”
After working as a library page in high school, then a short stint in 1985 coordinating branch inventory, Kelley returned to CPL in 1995 full-time excelling in various roles including Youth Services Coordinator, Youth Services Manager, and Manager of Lending Services. She then took on the role of Public Service Manager in 2014, and finally, her current role as Director, Public Service.
“I am proud of a number of initiatives that I helped create: the Young Reels Film Festival, the writing contest created in Elizabeth Scavetta’s memory, and all of the renovation and build projects—four builds in three years!” says Kelley. “I’m also proud of how we managed the pandemic, doing our best to communicate as much as we could and make people feel safe during such a chaotic time. And I’m pleased when I look around the organization today to know that I had a hand in hiring a number of the staff who are still here at CPL, particularly as I’ve watched them grow both professionally and personally over the years.”
“On behalf of the Board, I’d like to extend our gratitude to Kelley for her unwavering dedication to excellence and her significant contribution to the development of CPL as the esteemed institution it has become today,” adds Tony Maxwell, Caledon Public Library Board Chair. “We extend our heartfelt wishes for a fulfilling and joyful retirement ahead.”
Kelley’s future retirement plans include spending more time with family and friends, especially her kids and grandchildren; focusing on her Celebrant business performing weddings and funerals; and travelling.
With heartfelt gratitude, acknowledging her remarkable experience working at the Library, Kelley shares, “I’m so grateful for the years of learning and friendship from so many great staff members, and while it wasn’t always easy, it was always worth it. Wait until everyone sees all the things still to come for CPL. The next chapter is exciting…. for both of us!”
