COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – Lisa Hicks has announced her retirement as the director of the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library (AHRL). The AHRL Board of Trustees accepted her retirement during their regular March board meeting. Effective July 1, Hicks’ retirement will cap a 30-year career in library services that began in the Alleghany County Public Schools.
Hicks is a native of West Virginia and is a graduate of Concord College and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She began her career in 1993 as the library media specialist at Boiling Spring Elementary School. In 2003, she became the director of the then-Charles P. Jones Memorial Library.
“It’s been a pleasure to serve as the director of the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library. I’ve had the privilege to work with many wonderful patrons, staff, board members, community partners, community members and local government officials. I am appreciative of the support I have been given through the years,” said Hicks, who has served as the director of the regional library for 20 years.
During her tenure at the AHRL, Hicks continually looked for ways to develop and expand library offerings and programs that would best meet the needs of the community. She was instrumental in developing and growing partnerships with local school systems, community organizations and community stakeholders with a focus on providing increased support and outreach to these groups.
She initiated and led the rebranding of the library to the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library, and in April 2016, the newly named and refurbished Alleghany Highlands Regional Library became a reality. She spearheaded the creation and development of the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library Foundation.
Hicks brought 21st-century technology to the library. She secured funding for the addition of multimedia presentation equipment in all public use rooms and the creation of a computer learning lab at the AHRL. She increased the library’s digital services and offerings which became even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. She developed the AHRL digital access card program for area schools and students to allow for easier use of AHRL online resources.
“Lisa has been invaluable to our library and to our community, more so than she even realizes,” said AHRL Board of Trustees Chairman Tom Long. “She’s done a truly excellent job. We’re going to miss her.”
Going forward, the library’s personnel committee will begin the process of creating a transition plan and naming an interim director. According to the Library of Virginia, there are currently eight libraries in the Commonwealth of Virginia that are searching for new directors. The personnel committee will work closely with representatives from the Library of Virginia to start the process of hiring a new director.
