Reception Will Honor Retiring Library Director

Sierra Madre will honor retiring Library Services Director Toni Buckner tonight at a reception in the at the .

Buckner announced her retirement earlier this year after 34 years with the . The City of Sierra Madre and the Friends of the Sierra Madre Library are jointly hosting the event, which begins at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Ahead of the reception, the city prepared a brief history of Buckner’s tenure with the city. Here’s what they had to say:

In 1977, Toni Gollands Buckner began working for Sierra Madre as a Library Assistant, under the tutelage of then Library Director .  After acquiring a Masters in Library Science from USC in 1980, she was promoted to Associate Librarian of Children’s Services.  Upon Mary Tumilty’s retirement in 1985, Toni moved to the directorship, a position she held for the next 26 years.

Her many accomplishments during her tenure as Director of Library Services include shepherding the Library from the era of the card catalog to the age of the worldwide web and online databases, tireless grant and fundraising to ensure the Library acquired much-needed building improvements and kept pace technologically; co-chairing the City’s 2007 year-long Centennial celebrations; and heading the project of which she is admittedly most proud, The Friends Garden, a beautiful and welcoming native-plant “oasis” fronting the Library, where members of the community can read, socialize, eat lunch, use the Library’s free Wi-Fi, or just relax and enjoy the mountain views. 

For her outstanding work on the Library’s 1987 Centennial Celebration, Toni received the prestigious John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award from the American Library Association, for distinguished achievement in public relations and education.

Under her guidance the Library is now a nationally-recognized , dedicated, through programs, services and resources, to empowering parents to take an active role in their young children’s growth and development. 

The capstone of Toni’s achievements has been her tireless commitment to the which was launched in July 2011.  She was recently , otherwise known as Employee of the Year, which is presented to a City employee for exceptional customer and public service, as well as dedication to the citizens of Sierra Madre over the course of a year.

Before leaving her post at the end of 2011, Buckner will appear on the final “READ” poster of the year, which will appear at the Library between October and December.