The Wareham Free Library will soon have a new director — Patrick Marshall, who grew up in Wareham and started his career at the library’s old location on High Street.

During the Select Board meeting on July 13, Marshall recalled spending time boxing up materials at the old Wareham library for what he described as the “caravan over” to the new (and current) location on Marion Road in the early 90s. 

After working in Wareham, Marshall said he “bounced around” to a few other communities including Dartmouth and Foxborough. Most recently, Marshall spent 15 years serving as library director at the Jonathan Bourne Public Library in Bourne. 

Town Administrator Derek Sullivan had nothing but praise for Marshall as an applicant. 

Members of the Select Board seemed pleased with Marshall’s credentials, and the board voted unanimously to ratify hiring Marshall for the library director position. 

“Welcome aboard,” said Select Board Chair Judith Whiteside, as the room applauded. “And good luck.”

Sullivan said Marshall completed two rounds of interviews for the position, conducted by numerous individuals including Sullivan, Whiteside, Library Board of Trustees Chair Melissa Dyer and others. 

“The unanimous choice was Mr. Marshall,” Sullivan said.

George Ripley, the former director of the Wareham Free Library, announced that he had accepted a new position in Westport at the end of May. Ripley had served as director of the Wareham Free Library since December 2018.

Marshall said he hoped to cement the library as a “vital part of the community,” and said he was excited to be “back home.”  

Although Marshall’s official start date at the library hasn’t been determined, he said he expects to begin in early August.

“I’m looking forward to building upon what those who’ve come before me have done,” Marshall said, praising the efforts of Ripley, other former library directors and the library’s current and former staff members.

For more information on hours, events and programs at the Wareham Free Library, visit www.warehamfreelibrary.org.