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After 38 Years, Remarkable Librarian Closes the Book

Helen Miller has served library users in the city of Philadelphia for her entire professional life. After 38 years, she will finally take some time for herself on Friday, October 29.

Miller began her service at the Northeast Regional Library in 1966. Throughout her years at the Free Library of Philadelphia she has served all over the city, moving to Bushrod, Kensington, Lehigh, and Rodriguez branches before becoming Area Administrator in West Philadelphia. It was here that she began the first collection to serve the Southeast Asian community and developed a significant collection of African –American materials. She also oversaw the opening of three new branches in this area: Haverford Avenue Branch, Charles L. Durham Branch, and Eastwick Branch.

Miller devoted 16 years to West Philadelphia libraries before she was appointed Chief of the Extension Division where she administered the operations of 48 branch and three regional libraries. During this time she chaired the Preschool Door-to-Learning task Force, which has created preschool centers in all branch libraries.

In June of 1995, Miller became the Deputy Director of Public Service, where she handled even larger projects, including the $18 million Model Urban Library Services to Children Grant from the William Penn Foundation, which renovated branch libraries like the ones in which she began her career.

Miller has been an active member of the community in and out of work. She is a member of the American Library Association, Pennsylvania Library Association, Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Philadelphia Reads Advisory board, Leadership Inc. Class of 1989, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She is a former member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society and the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers SAT Prep Program.

Miller lives in Chestnut Hill with her husband Tyrone.

10/14/2004

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Department of External Affairs, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710, FAX (215) 567-7850