Meet our Staff

picture of staff member: Nyama Y. Reed

Nyama Y. Reed, Library Director

Hello, I'm Nyama, your Library Director. Joining the Whitefish Bay Public Library team in 2014 was one of the best decisions I ever made. The community support of WFBPL is tremendous and uplifting. I love meeting patrons, supporting the Library team in serving the community, and making a difference in people's lives. Feel free to contact me or stop by my office any time with questions, comments, or just to say Hello.

n.reed@wfblibrary.org

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Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

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The whole30 : the 30-day guide to total health and food freedom by Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig

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How to Instant Pot : mastering all the functions of the one pot that will change the way you cook by Daniel Shumski

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Why Buddhism is true : the science and philosophy of meditation and enlightenment by Robert Wright.

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Captain Underpants and the sensational saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot : the twelfth epic novel by Dav Pilkey

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Should I share my ice cream? by Mo Willems

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picture of staff member: Theresa Hoge

Theresa Hoge, Head of Circulation Services

I re-joined the staff at the Whitefish Bay Public Library in August of 2018 as the Head of Circulation Services. From 2008 through 2013, I enjoyed working with our patrons as a Circulation Assistant. My family and I have been avid users and supporters of the Whitefish Bay Library during the 25+ years we’ve lived in this community. A few of my favorite books include ‘The Night Circus’ by Erin Morgenstern, ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and ‘A constellation of vital phenomena’ by Anthony Marra. I’m also a big fan of all of the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling , and also science fiction series by authors such as Patrick Rothfuss, George R.R. Martin, and Michael J. Sullivan.

t.hoge@wfblibrary.org

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.

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The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Barcelona, 1945--just after the war, a great world city lies in shadow, nursing its wounds, and a boy named Daniel awakes on his eleventh birthday to find that he can no longer remember his mother's face.

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A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

In a rural village in December 2004 Chechnya, a failed doctor Akhmed harbors the traumatized 8-year-old daughter of a father abducted by Russian forces and treats a series of wounded rebels and refugees while exploring the shared past that binds him to the child.

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The Name of the Wind : the Kingkiller chronicle day one by Patrick Rothfuss

The story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend. So begins the tale of Kvothe, from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic.

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Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

"A new series set in the world of the Riyria Chronicles. In the land of the Rhune, trees can tell the future and the gods are beyond reproach. But when Raithe's father is slain, he does the unthinkable--he kills a god. From this act, rises the legend of the God Killer, the seeds of a rebellion, and the question of whether the gods are really immortal after all"-- Provided by publisher.

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picture of staff member: Scott Lenski

Scott Lenski, Head of Adult Services

I’ve been at the Whitefish Bay Public Library since 2012. I plan most of the adult programming, update the website and do the library’s social media. I love to read a little bit of everything, from literary fiction to mystery, and sci-fi to nonfiction books about science. Some of my favorite authors are John Irving, Dennis Lehane, Tana French, Meg Wolitzer, and John Scalzi.

s.lenski@wfblibrary.org

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The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

The Interestings is the story of six teenagers who meet at an arts summer camp. We follow these teenagers to middle age, as each must deal with their successes (or lack thereof). This book examines what happens to our dreams when we grow up. Wolitzer’s style reminded me of John Irving. I cherished every single page of this book and look forward to reading some of her other work.

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A Widow for One Year by John Irving

This is John Irving at his best as he chronicles the life of writer Ruth Cole. Tragedy strikes the Cole family before Ruth’s birth and this leaves her mother and father broken and shattered. As Irving often does in his novels we follow the main character throughout most of her life. There is a particularly riveting scene that has been stuck in my head since first reading this gem.

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The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Tart’s first novel follows a group of highly intelligent and eccentric college students as they plunge into a world of drinking, drugs, and darkness. An accidental murder is at the heart of this book which is part literary fiction and part psychological thriller. The prose is absolutely wonderful and you’ll want to savor every word.

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A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Ignatius J. Reilly is a bumbling 30 year old who still lives at home with his mom. He is scribing his life story on giant writing pads that he keeps hidden under his bed. A car accident by his drunk mother sends him looking for a job, and then he finds himself in some pretty ridiculous situations. In real life Ignatius would drive me crazy, but as a literary character he is hilariously memorable, so much so that I named by dog after him.

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His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman is a trilogy of books that follows Lyra Belacqua as she navigates a world with many similarities but also some differences from our own. In Lyra’s world every person has a daemon, an animal that is a representation of a person’s inner being. This special connection is at risk as children are being taken and experimented on. Pullman is a master world builder and he is in the process of expanding on the original books with a second related trilogy called The Book of Dust.

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picture of staff member: Katie Kiekhaefer

Katie Kiekhaefer, Head of Youth Services

I’ve been the Head of Youth Services at the Whitefish Bay Public Library since 2013, but I've been passionate about youth services since a summer spent working at my hometown library with my childhood librarians after college. My favorite aspects of being a youth services librarian are connecting with kids and their families and caregivers, advocating for each child’s reading interests, and creating fun, educational, and innovative programming for all ages. While most of my time is spent reading children’s and young adult literature, I also try to sneak some adult non-fiction, and if I'm not reading, I love listening to music and watching sports.

k.kiekhaefer@wfblibrary.org

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The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

A hilarious, pun-filled adventure that still feels as fresh and relevant as it did upon being published in 1961.

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To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

This time-traveling sci-fi book travels from 2057 to Victorian England to World War II and medieval Britain. With wit, adventure, and a fair amount of romance, Connie Willis has created a perfect sci-fi Victorian comedy of manners, of all the things.

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Bomb: the Race to Build-and Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

A non-fiction book for elementary schoolers, this book combines science, espionage, and international politics to tell the story behind the atomic bomb.

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Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson

This young adult book is a fascinating look at the importance of the arts, the resiliency of the Russian people, the lengths humans will go to in order to survive, the unfathomable corruption of the Russian government, and the role the arts play in government propaganda.

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Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

A love letter to roller derby and a spot-on look at how complicated middle school friends can be, all perfectly portrayed in graphic novel format.

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picture of staff member: Ina Margulis

Ina Margulis, Adult Services Librarian

I joined WFB Library in 1999 and worked in a variety of positions since then. Now I work mainly on the Adult Reference Deskand one of my favorite activities is ordering for the Adult DVD collection and AudioBooks. I also enjoy reading fiction and being a grandma. Some of my favorite authors are Michael Chabon, Tana French, and Elena Ferrante. Always a pleasure to see you in our Library!

i.margulis@wfblibrary.org

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Out of Egypt by Andre Aciman

It is a beautiful written memoir, written as homage to the city where he grew up (Alexandria, Egypt-a melting pot of tolerance, vibrancy and sophistication) and his colorful family (Greek Jewish family at the turn of 20th century who moves to Egypt). Deliciously nostalgic and heart-warming. Very enjoyable armchair trip in time and space.

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Neapolitan novels by Elena Ferrante

It is the story of a 50 years old friendship between two girls that grew up together in the same poor neighborhood in Naples after WWII , one bookish and intelligent –Elena, and the other rebellious and street smart- Lila. They ended up in different places as adults, yet stay very close at heart all through their life. Through the four novels we follow them, and their friends and families, and watch how their dreams grow and dash when reality confronted them and took them in different directions. I thought it was a treasure.

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Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The book takes place in Nigeria, the US and the UK. The protagonist takes on race, immigration, emigration, interracial relationship, feminism, what it means to leave home and then go back, all wrapped up in a complicated love story. The people described are real and flawed and her honesty is striking and vibrant, all together a great experience.

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The Lake House by Kate Morton

Two different story lines decades apart, taking place in Cornwall, UK. The book is very descriptive and atmospheric. It has suspense, family tragedy, secrets and at the end they all connect and make sense. Overall an enjoyable experience.

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The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

The book is a psychological, atmospheric drama that later becomes a melodramatic crime story taking place in the 1920s in London. Very detailed, great sense of the period and strong characters . I enjoyed it a lot.

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picture of staff member: Valerie Morris

Valerie Morris, Youth Services Librarian

I have been at the Whitefish Bay Public Library since March of 2012. Starting my position at this library was a dream come true and my first since finishing my master’s degree in library science in 2001. My joy is in doing storytime and planning arts and science programs for kids. I, of course, enjoy reading as much as my time allows, mostly historical, fantasy/sci-fi, realistic, and classic fiction. Occasionally, I actually get to read a grownup book however most of my reading is children’s and young adult books. When not reading, I enjoy travelling and exploring with my family.

v.morris@wfblibrary.org

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The Diviners by Libba Bray

The first installment in the Diviner series, The Diviners does not disappoint. The historical setting of 1926 New York City, the diverse cast of well-developed characters and the paranormal, combine to keep the reader engaged. Follow this book with Lairs of Dreams and Before the Devil Breaks You to continue the series.

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Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Laini Taylor is a master of world building and the myths that go with it. In this fantasy, the reader is transported to the lost city of Weep where blue-skinned gods control the city from their citadel floating above. It is a fast, fascinating read and the perfect beginning to a new series.

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Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys

It is at the end of WWII, the Germans are losing and the Russians are advancing westward. Thousands of refugees are fleeing and seeking escape on the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff. The story is told from the point of view of four refugees of four differing homelands who must unite for survival on the journey to the coast. This is the tragic story of history’s most tragic (and little known) ship sinking in which 9,400 civilians died in the Baltic Sea. A gripping tale that you will not be able to put down!

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Listen to the Moon by Michael Morpurgo

I love historical fiction and this rich, multi-layered story does not disappoint! This book offers the historical setting of WWI and the sinking of the Lusitania but also mystery, friendship, community, and survival.

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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

This is the story of the author’s childhood told in verse. Woodson tells of her experiences as an African American child growing up in the dual worlds of the Jim Crow South and New York City in the 60’s and 70’s. Brown Girl Dreaming is a beautifully written journey of identity as well as an inspiring life for children and adults.

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picture of staff member: Sharon Nagel

Sharon Nagel, Adult Services Librarian

I’m Sharon, and I joined the Whitefish Bay Library in 2018 as an intern. I graduated with my MLIS from UWM in 2020. I am currently a Reference Librarian in Adult Services. Before that I worked as an independent bookseller for 10 years. I am also the co-author of the Shady Hollow mystery series. I write this series with my writing partner, Jocelyn Cole. We publish under the pseudonym of Juneau Black. In my spare time I like to read and travel with my husband.

s.nagel@wfblibrary.org

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Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

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Hunger by Roxane Gay

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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

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Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

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Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson

"The first book in the Shady Hollow series, in which we are introduced to the village of Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony--until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead and the local reporter has to solve the case. Reporter Vera Vixen is a relative newcomer to Shady Hollow. The fox has a nose for news, so when she catches wind that the death might be a murder, she resolves to get to the bottom of the case, no matter where it leads. As she stirs up still waters, the fox exposes more than one mystery, and discovers that additional lives are in jeopardy. Vera finds more to this town than she ever suspected. It seems someone in the Hollow will do anything to keep her from solving the murder, and soon it will take all of Vera's cunning and quickness to crack the case"-- Provided by publisher.

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Shady Hollow by Juneau Black

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picture of staff member: Eva Hong

Eva Hong, Reference Assistant

I am so pleased to be a part of the reference team here at the Whitefish Bay Public Library. My family moved to Bay about two years ago and we love this community. Riding my bike, watching tennis, and spending time in the Wisconsin Northwoods with family are my favorite pastimes. I have an M.S. in Health Promotion with a background as a health educator and training specialist. Non-fiction books focusing on health, cooking, art, and interior design are my favorite. I like all kinds of fiction both new, but especially old. Come by Adult Services and it’ll be my pleasure to help.

e.hong@wfblibrary.org

picture of staff member: Liza Glowacki

Liza Glowacki, Youth Services Reference Assistant

I’m Liza and I am so happy to be joining the Whitefish bay library team as the Reference Assistant to Youth Services. I moved to Milwaukee from Texas a couple years ago and I can’t wait to meet more families in this wonderful community and assist both youth and adults in finding new reading materials. I recently graduated from UWM with an Economics Degree and love learning about Economic Development and Environmental Economics. On my off time I enjoy weightlifting, hanging out with my kids, and my giant dog Murphy as well as finding some time to read some books for my enjoyment. I love science fiction, historical fiction, and biographies. Stop by and say hello!

e.glowacki@wfblibrary.org

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Dear America : notes of an undocumented citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas

"The movement of people--what Americans call 'immigration' and the rest of the world calls 'migration'--is among the defining issues of our time. Technology and information crosses countries and continents at blistering speed. Corporations thrive on being multinational and polyglot. Yet the world's estimated 244 million total migrant population, particularly those deemed 'illegal' by countries and societies, are locked in a chaotic and circular debate about borders and documents, assimilation and identity. An issue about movement seems immovable: politically, culturally and personally. Dear America: Notes Of An Undocumented Citizen is an urgent, provocative and deeply personal account from Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who happens to be the most well-known undocumented immigrant in the United States. Born in the Philippines and brought to the U.S. illegally as a 12-year-old, Vargas hid in plain-sight for years, writing for some of the most prestigious news organizations in the country (The Washington Post, The New Yorker) while lying about where he came from and how he got here." From CountyCat

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The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

"Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage--and lost his mother and all memory of her when he was a child--but he is also gifted with a mysterious power. Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a force he doesn't understand, a blue light that lifts him up and lands him a mile away. This strange brush with death forces a new urgency on Hiram's private rebellion. Spurred on by his improvised plantation family, (Thena, his chosen mother, a woman of few words and many secrets, and Sophia, a young woman fighting her own war even as she and Hiram fall in love) he becomes determined to escape the only home he's ever known. So begins an unexpected journey into the covert war on slavery that takes Hiram from the corrupt grandeur of Virginia's proud plantations to desperate guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the coffin of the deep South to dangerously utopic movements in the North. Even as he's enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, all Hiram wants is to return to the Walker Plantation to free the family he left behind--but to do so, he must first master his magical gift and reconstruct the story of his greatest loss. This is a bracingly original vision of the world of slavery, written with the narrative force of a great adventure. Driven by the author's bold imagination and striking ability to bring readers deep into the interior lives of his brilliantly rendered characters, The Water Dancer is the story of America's oldest struggle--the struggle to tell the truth--from one of our most exciting thinkers and beautiful writers"-- Provided by publisher.

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Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz

"Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator's pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now"--Provided by publisher.

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Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey

"A brand-new graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey, the internationally bestselling author and illustrator of the Dog Man and Captain Underpants series. In Cat Kid Comic Club, Li'l Petey, Flippy, and Molly introduce twenty-one rambunctious, funny, and talented baby frogs to the art of comic making. As the story unwinds with mishaps and hilarity, readers get to see the progress, mistakes, and improvements that come with practice and persistence."-- Provided by publisher.

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Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

"A new tour de force from the bestselling author of Free Food for Millionaires, for readers of The Kite Runner and Cutting for Stone. PACHINKO follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan. So begins a sweeping saga of an exceptional family in exile from its homeland and caught in the indifferent arc of history. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, its members are bound together by deep roots as they face enduring questions of faith, family, and identity"-- Provided by publisher.

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Part Time Staff of the Whitefish Bay Public Library


Kathy, Circulation Assistant – Team member since 2012
Renee, Circulation Assistant – Team member since 2014
Sheila, Circulation Assistant -- Team member since 2018
Betty, Circulation Assistant – Team member since 2020
Lisa, Circulation Assistant – Team member since 2020
 Mary, Circulation Assistant - Team member since 2020
 Megan, Circulation Assistant- Team member since 2021
Emma, Circulation Assistant- Team member since 2021
Su, Circulation Assistant- Team member since 2022

 
https://wfblibrary.org/about/meet_our_staff/
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