The Henrietta Hankin Branch Library is proud to celebrate one year of leadership under Branch Manager Carey Bresler, who has brought her passion for libraries, community connection, and innovation to the Chester County Library System for more than 15 years.
Carey’s love of libraries started early with weekly family visits that instilled in her a lifelong appreciation for the role libraries play in learning and community life. That spark inspired her to pursue a career in libraries more than 25 years ago. She has served in multiple Chester County Library System locations, in addition to volunteering at a U.S. Army Library in Heidelberg, Germany, and working as an Adjunct Librarian at Cecil College in Maryland.
“Libraries have always been among my favorite places to visit, so spending my days in one is a huge perk of the job,” Carey said. “I feel fortunate to be in a position where I can listen to our staff and patrons and help make changes or add resources that benefit the community.”
As a branch manager, Carey enjoys having a front-row seat to everything happening at the library—from new collections and popular programs to the creative ideas of staff and patrons. She is especially excited about the library’s Citizen Science Kits, which allow families to participate in real-world scientific projects by checking out tools and materials from the library.
When reflecting on favorite library memories, Carey recalls one Halloween when she dressed as a witch for a preschool party. A young attendee reassured her: “I’m not scared of you at all. I know you’re not a real witch—your real name is Library.” Carey laughed but also felt proud to be seen as such an essential part of the community.
Currently, Carey is reading We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough, a spooky haunted house story, and listening to Say Everything by Ione Skye. “I love listening to biographies when they are read by the author,” she says. “It feels like they are personally sharing their stories with you.”
The Henrietta Hankin Branch Library congratulates Carey on her first year as Branch Manager and looks forward to many more years of her leadership, creativity, and dedication to serving the community.
