Learn about the Library's incoming director, Tess Mayer, in this Q&A! Tess will take the reins as the 16th director on September 2, 2025.
What are you looking forward to experiencing/exploring in Southern Arizona?
Although I’ve been to Arizona various times throughout my life, it wasn’t the Southern part of the region. I’m looking forward to learning much more about this place and how it came to be. What are community members most proud of? What are the stories that people share across generations? I would like to understand more about how the Sonoran desert sustains such biodiversity. I was surprised to learn of the desert tortoises and javelinas!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I enjoy music, especially seeing live music of all kinds and the ways that it can bring people together. I love hiking and visiting art museums, as well as playing guitar not-so-well. It will be hard to support a new WNBA team after the Storm and Valkyries, but I’m open to the Mercury! Exploring different types of regional cuisine and locally available ingredients is also high on the list.
Can you share some book recommendations with us (favorites, what you’re reading now, what you’ve recently read)?
Right now I’m reading Soil by Camille T. Dungy, since it is our All Staff Reads pick and our library system is hosting the author this July—I highly recommend this book! It’s a unique and moving blend of memoir, poetry, nature writing, and cultural commentary. Recently a younger person in my life recommended the young adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and I was so happy to share the experience of reading this with them! Especially recommended for people who love character-driven stories. I am (slowly!) making my way through Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari, an important context-setting piece for current technological developments. When I’m feeling like a moody mystery, I turn back to the books of Tana French, and I love Jasmine Guillory’s romance novels.
What do libraries mean to you? What role do they play in building community?
Libraries are impactful because they support both individual growth as well as community building. As community resource centers, libraries are uniquely positioned to address local needs and interests. They are flexible and adaptable in their approaches to supporting community resilience. Given the current level of social polarization in our country, it is important to remain a place where all kinds of people can come together and share space. This offers the potential for greater empathy and understanding.
Do you have any creative ways you plan to adapt to summer in Tucson?
Take cues from the people who live here! I imagine it is important to do things in the morning and evening that require activity outdoors. I’ve lived in a number of different climates and found that colder weather is the most personally challenging for me. Maybe there's a way to lean into it. What is the equivalent of the Scandinavian concept of hygge for the hot weather?
