Staff
Catherine Nevin, Library Director
Catherine has lived in Brooklin her whole life and has been a frequent library visitor for over two decades. She attended George Stevens Academy, then Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where she majored in creative writing and classical civilizations. She then earned her master’s in library science with a concentration in IT. In her free time, she enjoys figure skating, sailing, and spending as much time on the water as possible.
Olivia Zubrowski, Cataloging & Special Collections
When Olivia isn’t watching movies featuring David Bowie, she can be found at the circulation desk at the library, where she strives to provide access to library resources for free to all patrons who walk through the door. She is an adamant reader who recommends the works of Yiyun Li and Ruth Ozeki, and after spending five years working in a bakery in New York, in her free time continues to take the confectionery world by storm.
Jennifer Rosenthal, Storytime & Circulation
Jen moved with her family to the peninsula in 2021. She had her three young kids in tow the first time she visited the Friend Memorial Library, and they ended up creating paper airplanes with the librarians and flying them all over the place. The whole family fell in love with this sweet library and its warm community. Jen couldn’t pass up the chance to work here and practice all her funny character voices at Storytime each week. When she isn’t at the library singing, crafting, and helping patrons, Jen explores the outdoors with her family and their dogs, Quill and Poe. Her family loves to travel, and they always find the nearest train museum or vintage train ride wherever they go. She is a collector of children’s picture books and has a recommendation for almost every topic or occasion. She is delighted to share her love of literature and her desire to help others with the library community here in Brooklin.
Board
Ed DePasqual, President
In 2006 Ed and his wife Lisa went on a quest to find a special place in Maine to retire to. Ed, having lived and raised three children in Vermont and summered often on the Maine coast jumped at the opportunity to live permanently in Maine. After a two-week search while camping in State Parks between Boothbay and Jonesboro, Brooklin and especially Naskeag Road drew them in with it’s special charm. Libraries factored heavily in Ed’s education and career as a mechanical engineer in aerospace. Friend Memorial Library, with its connection to E. B. White made Brooklin all the more special. The chance to serve on its board is an honor.
Anita Jacobssen, Vice President
After immigrating with her family from Germany to the United States, Anita grew up in northern New Jersey. She moved to New York City to study, at NYU and the New School, and spent the next 30 years working in magazine publishing, the last 15 years of which she served as promotion director of Ski Magazine. Anita moved to Brooklin in 1995, and worked for Benjamin Mendlowitz at Noah Publications as his stock photography manager. She enjoys reading, cooking, Pilates, canoeing and sailing with her husband Eric, and walking with her dog Allie.
David Porter, Treasurer
After a 38-year career in academics at UGA, I moved full-time to Brooklin (Naskeag Pt) near a family summer home on Penobscot Bay. I graduated from Yale in 1963 (BS Biology) and the University of Washington in 1967 (PhD, Marine Mycology). At Georgia, I taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate-level classes in Biology and Mycology, mentored graduate students, and authored numerous scientific research papers. Since coming to Maine, I have maintained some professional activities with mycology classes at CoA and Eagle Hill, facilitated discussions on a range of science/natural history topics through Colloquy Downeast, and have given numerous mushroom-related outreach programs through various organizations. Other interests include chorale singing, pottery, community theatre and boating.
Elizabeth Parson, Secretary (also back up to the Treasurer)
Elizabeth (aka Diddy) Parson grew up in Rhode Island and spent many family summer vacations with her brothers in Brooklin. After college, she and her husband, Tim, worked and raised their two children in Massachusetts before moving to Brooklin in 2018. She established a book indexing business in 1994 and continues to work full-time for publishers. When not working with book manuscripts, she chases after her family’s two spirited dogs, rides her bike any chance she gets, attempts to grow vegetables, and plays around in boats.
Eden Cowart
A Salt Lake City native, Eden is an avid reader, a mother of three children and a lover of all things Brooklin. Aside from years as a project manager for multiple construction and architectural companies, she is currently a property manager and caretaker for homes all over the peninsula. She prefers to spend her free time with a good book and a cold drink on the beach. However, with Maine weather limiting that, she finds herself busy volunteering in the local community. In addition to serving on this board, she devotes her time to the Brooklin Parents Teachers and Friends group, the George Stevens Academy Facilities Committee, and the Rockbound Chapel Board of Directors. Eden is passionate about this small town. She is committed to serving the library and its patrons, and she would love any book recommendations you may have!
Brittney Sobol Carter
As a Florida native, graduating from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Anthropology and Zoology, Brittney married a Mainer and it didn’t take him long to convince her to move Downeast. Proud to call Brooklin her home, she is a mother of three and honored to be able to serve her community in any way possible. Until the latest addition of her family was born, Brittney was a landscaper and gardener. Her current adventure is homeschooling her children and focusing on her own vegetable gardens. One of the highlights of homeschooling for her is revisiting, discovering, and sharing books with her children. Her passion/obsession for learning guides her life and homeschooling style. When she has free time you’ll find her playing in the dirt of her gardens while listening to a good story, or enjoying all that the beautiful Maine coast has to offer: boating, island exploring, fishing, and swimming. It has always been a dream of her’s to work in a library. For now, she is delighted to serve on this library’s board.
David Tarr
Rich Hilsinger
Originally from Philadelphia, Rich first arrived in Brooklin in 1983 to attend WoodenBoat School as a student. He joined the staff at WoodenBoat Publications Inc. the following year as the school’s Shop Manager and held that position for 7 years. In 1991 Rich stepped into the role of WoodenBoat School Director. After 38 years at WoodenBoat, he retired at the end of 2021. He’s loved everything about living in Brooklin for the past 40 years. Over the years, Rich has volunteered in various capacities at the Brooklin School and George Stevens Academy, served on the Brooklin School Board for 9 years, worked at Brooklin Boat Yard for three winters, volunteered at WERU-FM Community Radio, and has met and enjoys friendships with an amazing number of fascinating and talented individuals on the Blue Hill peninsula. Being a member of the Friend Memorial Library board allows Rich another opportunity to give back to the community of Brooklin.
