2025 – 2026 Board

President: Revell Allen   

Vice President: Jan Jaferian  

Secretary: Sheila House

Treasurer: Mary Duclos

Revell Allen

 Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of time spent being read to, reading, and visiting the library in the small Connecticut town where I grew up. I have two adult daughters and taught in Barre, Vermont for 32 years. As a parent and teacher, I read to learn, to teach and to escape. I also enjoy reading aloud to others. I moved to Middlebury in February 2018 from Randolph, Vermont, where I served on the board of the Friends of Kimball Library for many years. Libraries welcome and provide essential services for people of all ages and backgrounds; serving on the board of Friends of Ilsley allows me to help support the vital work of our community library.

Cynthia Watters

Cynthia was a librarian in Vermont for many years—first as a regional librarian for the VT Dept. of Libraries (her region included Middlebury) and then as a catalog librarian at Middlebury College—until her retirement several years ago. She has always been committed to public libraries and served on the Ilsley Board of Trustees for a term in the late 1970’s. Shortly after she retired she accepted an invitation to serve as Treasurer for the Friends of the Ilsley Library and enjoyed this position until spring 2025.

Sheila House

Sheila spent the majority of her working years in libraries: first in a hospital medical library concurrent with her library school attendance, then followed by eight years as the children’s librarian in a small town public library, and finally capped by 18 years as a school librarian for grades K-8. She always loved going to work because every day was different. While her professional goal was to make her libraries a little better each day–usually by discovering and meeting the needs of her clientele–an additional benefit was spending so many hours in surroundings both stimulating and comforting. When one of her brothers asked, “What do you librarians do for fun,” Sheila considered responding, “We go to our jobs,” something that many employed folks would never understand. So even after retirement, Sheila is still fortunate to spend time in another wonderful library, volunteering both for the Ilsley Library and for the Friends of the Ilsley Library.

Jan Jaferian

Dr. Jaferian has been an avid user and supporter of libraries for decades.  She was first introduced to libraries as a young child, initially visiting the Portsmouth NH library, where she was introduced to book borrowing, much to her 4-year old delight.  Throughout college and graduate school, she relied on various libraries for research as well as casual reading.  She is an enthusiastic advocate of libraries for all ages and purposes, from reading programs and book loans to various community enrichment programs for lifelong learning as well as community engagement. She has passed on her love of libraries first to her daughter and more recently to her granddaughter. She is especially delighted to be a member of the Friends Board to serve the Ilsley Library community with her expertise in organization development and financial management.

Pam Shafer 

Pam recently retired and returned to Vermont after a 30-year career as a librarian in special, public and academic libraries.  Her love of reading began as a young child when she frequented the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, where books fed her curiosity and broadened her world.  She is now eager to be part of a group so passionate about providing opportunities for expanding imagination, exposing ideas, and instilling a love of reading in others.

John Murray   

I spent most of my career in the field of Video Production at a community college in Connecticut. We worked with all of the college’s departments especially the library. In the early years we helped the library with their audio and visual needs. When I became Director of Media Services and as technology was evolving, we assisted the library and other departments to help use this technology. I also became an instructor teaching video and audio production. We moved to Middlebury in 2021. I started volunteering with The Friends Booksale after seeing a post on Front Porch Forum seeking volunteers. After many booksales I was asked to join The Friends Board which I gladly accepted.

Beth Kingston

Of mankind’s many significant achievements, one that has greatly impressed me is represented by Benjamin Franklin’s 1721 founding of the Library Company of Philadelphia. His concept of a free and open library – one which was available to the public – promoted both universal opportunities for learning for citizens and a more egalitarian society.

Amy Mincher

A Middlebury native, Amy grew up at the Ilsley Public Library. As a young child, she attended storytimes and as a pre-teen, participated in book discussions and volunteered in the children’s room. Amy served two terms on the Ilsley Trustees and has been an Ilsley 100 Project Team member, planning for the renovation and expansion project. Amy has taught elementary school, worked in small museums in New York and Vermont, and is a popular local yoga teacher, specializing in accessible yoga, restorative, and yin. An avid reader, Amy is always searching for poetry to read in her yoga classes. She’s a fan of audiobooks through Libby to listen to in the car, while doing chores, and taking her dogs for long walks.

Mary Duclos

Mary and her husband, Steve, moved to Weybridge in March 2024, after spending 32 years in Clifton Park, NY working, volunteering, and raising four children.  Mary has always been a reader and fondly remembers the walk up the stairs, when she was a child, to the children’s section in the Concord NH Public Library, passing the glass cases holding taxidermy.  At the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public LIbrary, Mary served on the Board of the Friends of the Library managing their scholarship program and assisting with book sales.  She also spent much time searching their home for the up to 99 books one was allowed to check out when her kids were small.