Bay Library starting a new chapter

Jessica Breslin, left, is leaving the Bay Village Branch library for a director position at Rocky River Public Library. Maryann Penzvalto, right, will take the reins as branch manager on Sept. 18.

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After almost 10 years as branch manager of the Bay Village Branch library and 20 years with the Cuyahoga County Public Library, I will be leaving my perch to start the next chapter of my career as the director of the Rocky River Public Library.

It’s been an amazing decade for me getting know the fantastic Bay Village community filled with dedicated community leaders, families that encourage the love of learning, students looking to study and socialize afterschool, and active seniors attending our programming. It's been a fulfilling and fun time and I have so many great memories and experiences I'll be taking with me from our BAYarts book discussions at the Fuller House, to Cahoon in June, Destination Bay, Teen Zones, One School One Book, and day-to-day conversations with library customers. 

The cherry on top of all of it was the opportunity to work collaboratively with our community and our awesome staff to bring this new building to life! It's been so rewarding to see our new space become the true community hub we hoped for with over 200,000 customer visits since we opened on April 30, 2022. 

Thank you to everyone who has made my time here wonderful – especially the library staff and our customers. Please come and visit me as I settle into my new role at the Rocky River Public Library beginning Oct. 2. I'll also still be around town as a resident and forever Friend of the Library! 

I am passing the baton to an equally enthusiastic branch manager colleague, Maryann Penzvalto, who will begin in the role on Sept. 18. Please join me in welcoming her!

Maryann is thrilled to be returning to the Bay Village Branch, where she was the Teen Services Librarian from 2016-2019. She grew up in Lakewood but spent every Sunday visiting her grandparents on Kenmore Drive in Bay Village.

Before coming to CCPL in 2015, Maryann worked at Ohio Wesleyan University’s Beeghly Library, Dallas Community College’s Brookhaven College, and Frisco Public Library in Frisco, TX. In addition to Bay Village, she has worked for CCPL at the Garfield Heights Branch where she loved exploring Innovation Center technology with library users. Most recently, she was the Branch Manager of the Gates Mills and Chagrin Falls branches, where she was committed to making the library the most welcoming place in town.

Maryann lives in Lakewood with her fiancé, Isaac, and their two dogs, Francisco “Frankie” Lindor and Blue Ivy. In their spare time, Maryann and Isaac enjoy renovating old houses, going to Guardians games, and riding bicycles and scooters all over Cleveland. Maryann loves games and trivia and has been a contestant on "Jeopardy!" (2-time champion) and "Wheel of Fortune" (2nd place finisher). She is also an avid audiobook listener, so make sure to ask her for a recommendation!