SKIDOMPHA VOLUNTEERS
Skidompha Library is extraordinarily thankful for our more than 100 volunteers who contribute over 10,000 hours each year! Thank you to those already involved, we could not do what we do without you.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, contact us, stop by for more information, or fill out our online Skidompha Library Volunteer Application form.
SKIDOMPHA STAFF
Matthew Graff, Executive Director
Matthew’s journey started on Long Island, New York where he enjoyed playing in, on, and under the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Time passed, as time does, and Matthew graduated from Long Island University, Southampton with his BA. A JD from Franklin Pierce Law Center followed soon after, along with a job as a lobbyist. But the ocean and Sound beckoned him back, and he eventually joined the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and traded his suit, tie, and desk for a pair of waders and a boat, and an office on the water. Books eventually took precedence, setting Matthew towards his MLIS from Syracuse University and a position as the Director of the Cohoes Public Library in Cohoes, NY. Matthew lives in Newcastle and loves being part of the extraordinary Skidompha team.
Chloe Deblois, Development Director
Chloe’s formative years often featured Skidompha. Throughout her childhood in Newcastle, she was a devoted attendee of the children’s library, and her family regularly volunteered for Skidompha’s planning and fundraising efforts to transition to its new building. After graduating college with a degree in philosophy, Chloe returned to Damariscotta where she spent a fulfilling time working with books and the public at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop. She has a passion for nonfiction, history being a particular favorite, and loves learning about how stories connect, comfort, and strengthen us. She is excited to be joining Skidompha’s team and its role in the community.
Adult Services
Contact any of our adult services librarians.
Terry Hapach, Head Librarian
Back in Ohio, many years ago, Terry was often found waiting impatiently for the library doors to open. When she was offered a part-time job there after school, she loved it so much it became a career that lasted over 30 years. Then one crazy vacation day she and her husband took a different route on the way to the Erie Zoo – and ended up in Maine. To live here on a more permanent basis, she retired. Or so she thought. A volunteer stint turned into employment and she’s now pleased to be helping to continue the development of an awesome library full of wonderful people. Terry is also a frequent contributor to Owl Radio podcasts.
Molly Coyle, Adult Services Librarian
Molly comes to us from Holland, Michigan, where she frequented her public library and fell in love with consuming and creating stories. After graduating from college with a BA in Creative Writing and a minor in Theatre, Molly spent many years living abroad and working in education, marketing, and events. In 2021, Molly graduated from Dalhousie University with her MLIS and is thrilled to be serving the Skidompha community as our Adult Services Librarian. Molly loves to create comics, watch bad horror movies, and go for (exceedingly) long walks.
Rachel Zoller, Adult Services Librarian
Rachel has been working in the adult section of the library since 2007 after 40 years of teaching. She is responsible for interlibrary loans, large print, and those dreaded overdue and bill notices. Rachel created a “Traveling Books” program to deliver library materials to our homebound patrons. Rachel lives in Newcastle with her husband, Jay. She is a docent at the Farnsworth Museum, programs music for the Music and Memory Program at Coves Edge where she volunteers each week. She and Jay enjoy traveling, being with their 8 grandchildren, gardening, and especially reading. And, she loves chatting with people about their reading!
Meghan Hawkes, Adult Service Librarian & Communications Coordinator
Meghan grew up in western Connecticut, before heading to art school in New York and Massachusetts. After graduating, she followed her family to Maine and decided it was an excellent place to stay. She focused a love of books into working at the local bookstore and doing freelance illustration, before finding her way to Skidompha. Meghan will read anything you put in front of her, though she reserves a particular love for history, science fiction, and books about marine life. She is very pleased to be joining the Skidompha team, and its opportunities for a new way to experience the community.
Youth Services
Jessie Trafton, Children’s Librarian
Jessie joined the library as a volunteer in 2014 and joined the staff a year later. She transitioned to the Children’s room in February 2019. Jessie has a background in the biological sciences but has found her true love working at Skidompha. She reads a bit of everything, but really enjoys non-fiction, fantasy, and science fiction. Jessie moved to Newcastle in 2012 with her wife, Anna, and they enjoy birding, homesteading, walking in the woods, reading, playing cribbage, and chasing after their young kids.
Kristi Favaloro, Teen Librarian
Kristi grew up in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and enjoyed regular trips to her local library as a child. That love for books and learning eventually led to a career in Montessori education, and more recently, educational writing. Working at Skidompha she is able to lean into her passions for public service and helping others discover their own learning journeys. Kristi lives in Alna with her husband, Mike, and their daughter, and she loves to cook and hike in her spare time.
Grace, Junior Librarian
Grace’s mom, Kristi Favaloro, was hired as Skidompha’s teen librarian in 2020, and Grace had to go to Skidompha every day after school. This made the spark of love for reading into a full, strong flame. It allowed Grace to widen her writing skills as well as her imagination. She started working for her school’s newspaper and began writing faster. A valued member of our staff, Junior Librarian Grace really loves being at Skidompha in her spare time, after school, and on her school vacations. She was never really interested in books or writing until her mom, dad, and of course, all of her pets moved to Maine in 2019 and visited Skidompha. Grace lives on a “farm” of 7 chickens, 1 dog, and 3 cats. She hopes to pursue a career in acting and, in some way, work for Skidompha Library.
Will Bradley, Youth Programming Artist-in-Residence
Will Bradley is a sound artist living in Damariscotta. They acquired a Bachelors of Fine Art from KCAI, a Masters of Fine Art from Bard, hold certificates from the Wickerson Center for Alternative Fine Arts and the Center for Deep Listening, and are currently completing a Post Baccalaureate in Psychology via UC Berkeley Extension. They‘ve performed as SOLLUS (with J Ashley Miller and Joey Watson in Kansas City, MO), co-directed the BEGIN series (with Jon Mueller in Door County, WI), and currently perform and record as the steward, rev.web.
Will’s current work studies hyperobjects and ideaspace agents in relation to macro musics in an attempt to understand the frameworks and devices that direct current music theory and media. Through this work they listen for things and foster instruments that listen to other things.
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Jeannette Eaton, Mindfulness Teacher & EPOCH Magazine Editor and Mentor
Jeannette brings her passion for mindfulness, group facilitation, poetry, and writing to her work at Skidompha. With a graduate degree in writing for social change, she has spent the last two decades devoted to nonprofit work. She loves leading EPOCH magazine, working with the thoughtful and creative teens on the editorial board, and learning from people in her weekly virtual mindfulness meditation and poetry groups here at Skidompha. She also runs Paper Trail Creative Writing Workshops and is a mindfulness meditation teacher. She loves being a part of the amazing staff team at Skidompha.
Kelsey Gibbs, Design Consultant for EPOCH Magazine
Kelsey Gibbs works with Skidompha Library on EPOCH Magazine, Skidompha’s creative magazine
Pam Gormley, Executive Director Emeritus
Born and raised in the Bronx and a proud Yankees fan, Pam came to Maine with her family, Mal, Katie, and Quinn in 1994. Before making the move to the best place on earth, Pam worked for Reader’s Digest for 23 years. “Being the Director of Skidompha was the best job ever!” says Pam. “I worked with the smartest, most competent, and creative people ever. It was thrilling to be part of the national award-winning team at Skidompha!”