by Bob Branciforte

School of Library & Information Studies alumnus Tom Giroir (MSLIS, 2009) has been making a splash this year in Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish, New Orlean’s western suburb. After being named the Jefferson Parish Public Library Employee of the Year, he has now been named the Jefferson Parish Employee of the Year.

“Obviously, you all did a bang-up job teaching me,” said the self-effacing Giroir, referring to the School. “Particularly, Dr. Ian Douglas and Dr. Linda Swaine were very influential and supportive. Thanks!”

Giroir has been manager of the parish’s Belle Terre Library Branch since 2009. He began a story time program, started craft events on Saturdays, and added adult computer classes. Last year, Belle Terre’s summer reading program had a higher attendance than any other branch, topped only by the library’s two regional libraries. When the parish’s Grand Isle Library Branch needed a manager Giroir stepped in and took on that responsibility as well.

Giroir’s community clearly appreciates his hard work and recently nominated him for the 2010 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award. “Can you tell that we’re proud?” said Lon Dickerson, director of Jefferson Public Library.