It's A Bridgehampton Homecoming For New Hampton Library Director

When Lisa Michne, the new director of the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton, started her job on May 2, she said it was like a homecoming.

Michne grew up in the hamlet, where her father, Pete, worked as postmaster, her grandmother Edith Michne was a piano teacher, and her other grandmother Betty King was curator at what is now known as the Bridgehampton Museum.

She lived a short walk or bike ride from the library, on Hildreth — now Audubon — Avenue and spent much of her free time there.

In fact, she spent so much time at the library that she and two friends, Joy Hughes and Connie Wyche, were given summer jobs.

“I read stories to children on a blanket outside. That was my first ‘library job,’” she said. “It’s a dream to be back here. I’m just thrilled to be here, and I’ve received such a warm welcome from the staff and board.”

Michne’s family eventually moved to East Hampton, and she left the East End after graduating from East Hampton High School in 1978 — but when she returned several years later, she took a job at the East Hampton Library.

Over the years, Michne worked in just about every department at the East Hampton Library: children’s, reference, a stint with Dorothy King in the Long Island Collection of historic documents, and eventually as director of the young adult department.

About 20 years ago, with the encouragement of the East Hampton Library’s director, Dennis Fabiszak, Michne went to Queens College, where she earned her master’s degree in library science.

“I was happy in East Hampton, but this opportunity came up,” said Michne. “And it piqued my interest to learn about planned renovations to create a young adults space.”

Michne replaces director Kelly Harris, who late last year, moved to the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor. Before her departure, though, she put together a plan for an interior renovation of the Hampton Library building to provide more efficient programming space. That project remains in the planning phase.

Michne said it was crucial for the library to serve the young adult community, whose members are so often at risk.

“Libraries change lives,” she said. “Working with teens, I saw that happen.”

Often libraries provide a supervised, safe haven for teenagers to learn how to study and socialize, she said.

Michne said she did not foresee a need to radically transform the library’s programming, noting that Bridgehampton, like other libraries, has undergone a sea change in its mission since she was a young girl picking out a book to take home.

That the library is a popular community gathering place was evident on a recent sunny day, when mothers and nannies arrived with young children in tow for a morning program.

“Right now, I’m just two weeks in, and I’m learning about this place,” she said. “It’s running very nicely.”

While she doesn’t have a wholesale list of changes she wants to implement, Michne said she would like to launch a program called “Voices,” which would feature people from different segments of the community who would come in and share their experiences with others.

“I want to create a collaborative environment with both the staff and the community,” she said.