Syracuse Public Library Announces New Executive Director

The Syracuse Public Library’s Board of Trustees has  selected Jon Gaskill to serve as the library’s new executive director! He will officially start on Oct. 13.

Gaskill has worked in libraries for over 15 years, serving as an administrator for about 10 of those years.

“I have done adult programming, taught computer classes, worked a reference desk, ordered materials, genealogy research and requests, worked the desk, messed around in makerspaces, enough to be dangerous,” Gaskill shared.
Gaskill’s experience includes small, medium, and large libraries.
Gaskill said, “I became a library director by  accident — I was working as a reference librarian and the board president and interim director invited me to come to board meetings. They kept asking me if I was ‘getting this’ as in, are you ready to take over as director — they finally made it official, and I took over as director of the Fulton County Public Library in  Rochester in January 2013. There are so many things they ‘do not teach you in library school,’ and I love a challenge, and have loved each opportunity to learn and grow professionally.”  
Gaskill most recently served as the executive director of the Wabash Carnegie Public Library before applying for the Syracuse position.
He noted, “I was drawn to be the director at Syracuse as I heard through the grapevine that Kim was retiring, and I was looking for an opportunity closer to home, so I took a leap of faith to apply and interview. I was happy to work in Wabash, and they were happy with me, but this position just makes sense and allows me to make a difference in my community. I consider myself lucky to be able to work in my hometown.“
Gaskill continued, “My goals in every public library for which I have worked are three, primarily: 1.) I hope to draw more people to the library space; 2.) To help more people access library cards — put more cards into more hands,  especially kids’ hands; and 3.) To increase circulation and participation in library programs and checking out materials. A reading community makes a huge difference in so many things, especially economically and giving people opportunities to stick and stay, not just move away for the big towns, or move back because there are things they want or need here. I love Syracuse — it has heart, and people are so welcoming and kind; I want to foster that feeling. “
Gaskill has a wife of almost 18 years, Ali, and two boys — 12 and 16 — and a 21-year-old stepdaughter. The family also has two big lab nutty mutts and two cats.

The Three Books That Jon Would Take To A Deserted Island

​“So, if I had to read the same three books over and over, I would select “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein. I am sure I could think of a few more —  books float, right? I could make a raft out of a bunch more and dry them out in the sun!?”