Longtime veterans leader says goodbye to library

Terry Rooney retires after more than a decade

NORWALK HOUR / 06/19/08 / By ROBERT KOCH / Hour Staff Writer

After more than a decade of service, Terry Rooney, long active in the city's veterans community, has officially retired as executive director of the East Norwalk Library.

Rooney, who was hospitalized earlier this year, said he met recently with board members of the East Norwalk Improvement Association, which operates the library on Van Zant Street.

"When I got home from the hospital, they came and visited me," Rooney said. "I said I was going for (medical) treatment and could not stay on (as executive director)."

Rooney began working at the library after retiring from the 1st Taxing District Water Department. At first, he helped librarian Eunice Van Tilen. When she passed away, library board members asked him to become executive director. Rooney helped, among other activities, set up the children's program at the library.

He is past president of the East Norwalk Improvement Association. Rooney also served as administrator of the association's Van Zilin Hall Community Room at the library and involved himself in many civic events and organizations, including the Norwalk Reads! steering committee, according to the board.

"Terry is a man of many talents," said Kevin Emro, president of the library board as well as of the East Norwalk Improvement Association, referring to Rooney's work for the library and community. "We, the board, have relied on Terry's personality and capabilities to help steer and grow the East Norwalk Library."

Emro said the board plans to hold a special reception and honor on Rooney's behalf soon.

The library is not the only place where Rooney, a lifelong Norwalk resident, was a familiar face. For more than three decades, he led many veterans parades and celebrations.

In January 2005, Rooney retired as city representative to the Veterans Memorial Committee. Rooney, a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, organized the annual Flag Day Parade, chartered the Memorial Committee and co-chaired Norwalk's 350th Anniversary Celebration.

The East Norwalk Library board of trustees has appointed ex-officio member Stanley M. Siegel to replace Rooney as executive director of the East Norwalk Library.

Siegel will continue in his capacity as president of the Norwalk Public Library board of trustees and its public information officer.

"In choosing Siegel for executive director, we will rely on his vast experience, not only with the Norwalk Public Library, but as president of the Association of Connecticut Library Boards, a member of the executive board of the Connecticut Library Association, and a board member of the Friends of Connecticut Libraries," Emro said.

Siegel led the fundraising effort to furnish the newly renovated South Norwalk Branch Library.

As executive director of the East Norwalk Library, he said his priorities will be improving services and raising public awareness of those services.

Improvements include a new children's library, modernization of books stacks, collection, public computer system and general decor, according to the board.

"We have four public computers. We're adding two more. We're going to get some new furniture, and, quite frankly, adapt the library to the users' needs," Siegel said.

The East Norwalk Library, located at 51 Van Zant St. and open Monday through Saturday, is independent of the Norwalk Public Library System, which operates the Main Library on Belden Avenue and South Norwalk Branch Library on Washington St.