At their April 20 regular meeting, the Grand County Commission unanimously approved the appointment of Grand County High School sophomore Lillian Scott to join the Grand County Library board as a non-voting, volunteer member.
“She is a prolific reader, which is quite unusual nowadays, so I would highly recommend that the commission authorize that she be part of the library board,” Commissioner Trisha Hedin said of Scott before making a motion for the approval. Hedin serves as the commission representative on the board.
When asked about her favorite genres and books, Scott’s reply illustrated her love of reading.
“Classics are always a good choice for me, but I also love fantasy novels/historical fiction,” she said. “A few that have stuck with me are Emma and Pride and Prejudice [by Jane Austen], Gone With the Wind [by Margaret Mitchell], the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett, and The Kingkiller Chronicle series by Patrick Rothfuss.” The Kingsbridge series is a historical novel about the building of a cathedral in a fictional medieval town in England, and The Kingkiller Chronicle is a fantasy series about an adventuring musician in a fictional world called Temerant.
“Oh, my friends just got me to read The Song of Achilles and Circe by Madeline Miller, those are both amazing books!” Scott added. “Honestly, I’ll read just about anything.”
Scott first heard about the opportunity to serve on the board from her journalism teacher, Alanna Simmons-Cameron, whom she describes as “amazing.”
“I’ve always loved the library and the staff, so being a part of everything is something I’m super excited to do!” said Scott. The library board, composed of seven voting members, advises the Grand County Commission and reviews library policies, budgeting, and planning. The non-voting high school member position, which is a two-year term, was added in 2013. Scott will be the fourth high schooler to serve on the library board.
“The main benefit of a high school representative is to create a library board membership that reflects the community,” said Carrie Valdes, director of the Grand County Library. “In the past, they have provided an important student perspective and helped in our teen outreach.”
Scott doesn’t have any specific agenda for the board, but she said “a big goal is to see more teens with books in their hands.” In addition to pursuing that goal, she will gain experience with local government operations and provide input on library policies and budget priorities.
Valdes said Scott conducted her interview, which took place at an online public meeting, with poise.
“Lillian is a longtime library user,” said Valdes. “She expressed an interest in giving back to the community and being more involved. I think she will be a great addition to the board.”
