February's Featured Manager: Audra Caplan

Caplan says, "Don’t settle for mediocrity."

Name and Title: Audra L. Caplan, Harford County Public Library Director. The county’s public library was established in 1946 and reestablished in 1981 as a county agency under state law.

Personal background: Caplan was born in Baltimore and attended Baltimore City public schools. After graduating from Western High School, she earned a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus and a master’s degree in library science from the University of Maryland, College of Library and Information Studies. Caplan lived in North Carolina for five years and took some classes at the University of North Carolina.

“I’m the proud owner of two cats and one puppy, all rescue animals. I also love to dance and had one of my dreams fulfilled this year by participating in the Harford County Center for the Arts “Dancing for the Arts, ” she said.

Professional background: Starting her career as a young adult librarian at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Caplan has worked in Maryland public libraries for 29 years. She was in charge of Pratt’s small St. Paul Street branch for five years, attending graduate school during that time. She worked in the Baltimore County Public library for nine years and
worked briefly in Howard County.

Caplan was hired as collection administrator in the Harford County system and within six months was promoted to Associate Director. When Harford County Library Director Irene Padilla was named State Librarian six years later, Caplan succeeded her.

Keys to success: “I always say that leaders are only as successful as the people that work in their organizations and I would say I have done a good job hiring and cultivating excellent staff,” said Caplan. She said she also is proud of creating services for teens and advocating for that age group wherever she worked. “For a long time they were the underserved age population but that has changed dramatically in ten years,” she said.

Goals: Caplan said her goals are tied to the library system’s “big audacious” goalto be the premier library system recognized for delivering innovative services. The science center for the planned Churchville library will be one example of that, she noted.

Caplan, who is running for the president of the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association, this year, said a more recent goal is “to maintain our great library service during a very tough economic time.”

Advice: “Don’t settle for mediocrity, in the people you hire or the service you deliver,” Caplan said.

She also said that she loves doing what she does and has a great passion for the tenets of librarianship, providing access to information and promoting the love of reading to all the population.

What could be done to make business more successful: “Well, the quick answer is more resources, whether that’s new buildings, or the ability to buy more needed materials or have more and faster computer access, ” said Caplan, adding, “Knowing resources will be tighter than ever, I’d say the continued support of our customers, board of trustees and elected officials and the continued visions, dedication and adaptability of our staff.”