The Sampson-Clinton Public Library System will have a new leader to start 2020.
Johnnie Pippin of Smithfield has been hired as the new director of the library system.
Pippin is currently a library consultant and data specialist with the State Library of North Carolina in Raleigh, where he oversees facets of the NC Cardinal program, a consortium of North Carolina public libraries focused on resource sharing via an online catalog and integrated library system (ILS).
Pippin has more than 20 years of library experience, including work within the public library systems in Wayne and New Hanover counties and with the North Carolina State University and UNC-Wilmington libraries.
Pippin earned his Masters in Library Science, with a concentration in Special Libraries/Public Libraries, from North Carolina Central University and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from UNC-Wilmington.
“Mr. Pippin’s knowledge of library administration — including collection development, circulation and reference, grants and budgeting — as well as his management experience will serve our library system well,” stated County Manager Ed Causey. “However, we were most drawn to Mr. Pippin’s collaborative relationships with the community of stakeholders in the NC Cardinal consortium and his experiences helping library systems and their local governments resolve critical issues and reach or exceed their goals.
“The ability to build and maintain effective relationships is an integral part of customer-service driven local government departments,” Causey stated.
Pippin will assume the reins of the library system at the J.C. Holliday main branch on Jan. 2, 2020. Tiffany Savage, children’s librarian, has been serving as the interim director following the departure of longtime director Heather Bonney earlier this year.