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The new regional director of the Troup-Harris Regional Library will be introduced Thursday, May 8, at LaGrange Memorial Library.

Kelly Ansley will speak at 6 p.m. at the annual meeting of Friends of LaGrange Memorial Library in the community room of the library at 115 Alford St. A brief business meeting and election of officers and board members will precede her talk, both of which are open to the public. A reception will follow.

Ansley holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Georgia State University and a master’s of library and information science from Valdosta State University. She began her library career as a library associate at the Chamblee branch of the DeKalb County Public Library system. She later worked in reference and instruction at Southern Polytechnic State University, as instruction coordinator at Kennesaw State University, and as director of the libraries at East Georgia State College and LaGrange College.

Ansley has been a member of the Georgia Library Association for 17 years and has presented at numerous conferences in Georgia and nationally. She said she is passionate about fostering innovation, supporting staff development, and creating inclusive, engaging library spaces.

She lives in LaGrange with her husband and three children. Ansley’s first day on the job is May 5.

She succeeds Keith Schuermann, who relocated to the Cobb County Library System in December. Interim directors have been working at the library system while a search for a new regional director was conducted. The Troup-Harris Regional Library Board oversees the public libraries in LaGrange, Hogansville and Harris County.

Friends of the Library is a volunteer organization that supports library programs through fundraising and other activities.