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.
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.
Sadie Cooley, Archive Specialist & Circulation
Sadie came to Maine from New Mexico to attend College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor and has never left. She comes to Friend Memorial Library after working at the Southwest Harbor Public Library. Excited to be living and working in the same community, she welcomes any recommendations for fun (or strange) activities to do on the Peninsula. Sadie is always happy to exchange book recommendations as she believes they should always be a two-way street.
Millie Cowart, Circulation Assistant
Millie is a high school student at George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill. She is an avid reader, and enjoys art, music and writing. She lives in Brooklin and has been a frequenter of the Friend Memorial Library since 2017.
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.
Elizabeth Parson, 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.
Eli Baird
Eli has been a part of the Brooklin community for over two decades, making it his full time home in 2020 amidst the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Professionally, Eli excels as a computer systems architect for a fortune 500 company, showcasing his expertise in technology. Beyond his career, Eli’s passion for sailing is undeniable, earning him the reputation of an incredible sailor on the local waters. Eli’s love for the community is evident in his commitment to contributing his time and resources to support various organizations, including the library. Whether he’s navigating the seas during the summer or lending his expertise to resolve technology issues, Eli’s dedication to making a difference is unwavering.
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 hers to work in a library. For now, she is delighted to serve on this library’s board.
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.
Laura Sherman
A Brooklin native, Laura has lived and worked in Brooklin for her entire life, from working as a teenager at the Brooklin General Store, bartending at the Brooklin Inn, 19+ years as WoodenBoat magazine’s Advertising Manager, a three-year term on the Brooklin Selectboard, and most recently as Operations Coordinator at Brooklin Boat Yard. She is also on the Board of Directors of a small non-profit organization, called Rosanna’s Readers, that gives birthday books to students in elementary schools on the Blue Hill peninsula in memory of her sister. Laura remembers volunteering at Friend Memorial Library with Gretchen Volenik and June Eaton when she was still a kid and looks forward to getting involved again as an adult.
