Arms Library

Board of Library Trustees

Dan Alden joined the Arms Library Board of Trustees in November, 2021 after enjoying the Arms Library as a patron for many years. Dan is a retired electrical engineer and lives with his wife in Buckland. He moved to Shelburne Falls from the Boston area and previously lived in California and Alaska.

Clay Connor lives in Shelburne Falls and has lived in Massachusetts since 2009. Clay has spent most of his professional life in the K-12 sector as an elementary school building administrator, teacher and business official. Clay currently is the Interim Executive Director at Rowe Camp and Conference Center in Rowe, MA and is the Treasurer of the Arms Library Board of Trustees. Clay loves the lifestyle of Western Massachusetts and serving the communities of Shelburne and Buckland.

John Cornman moved to Shelburne Falls in 2019. Before that, he spent his career working in both higher education and corporate human resources. John holds an M.S. degree in Counselor Education and a B.A. in History. In addition to serving on the Arms Board, John also serves on the Mary Lyon Foundation Board, was active in the passage of the Shelburne CPA initiative, enjoys his Shelburne Falls family and playing pickleball and golf. An avid reader, John likes a good mystery and well written historical fiction.

Sheryl Gilmore was born and raised in Shelburne Falls and has been a patron of the Arms Library since childhood. She is currently working as a customer service representative and has been a trustee of the library since 2003.

Arthur Samuelson has considered books to be an essential vitamin, beginning with Story Hour at the local public library, continuing with a 20 plus year career in NYC as an editor at major publishing companies, and now as Program Director at the Rowe Center where he has worked for the past ten years. A resident of Buckland for the past four years, he considers the Arms Library to be an indispensable part of what makes Shelburne Falls so special. 

Peggy Warwick, Arms Library trustee, joined the board in 2023. She has lived in Western Franklin County for over 30 years, and used the services of Arms Library for all of that time. A passion for literature and a wish to serve the local community are the main reasons for the interest in serving on the board. Professionally, she has worked as a nurse practitioner, providing health care for all age groups, in settings that included hospitals, clinics, and both public and private schools and colleges. Currently, she works part time in the care of adults at a residential rehabilitation facility for alcohol and drug addiction. 

Emily Willis lives in Shelburne Falls with her family. She has worked in libraries for the past 19 years, as a public library reference librarian, elementary school librarian, and currently the Mohawk Trail Regional School librarian. Emily also serves as the Western Massachusetts Co-Director of the Massachusetts School Library Association. Among Emily's areas of interest are equal access, social emotional learning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Emily is excited to work with the rest of the board of trustees of the ARMS Library!

Pratt Memorial Library Building Committee

• Dan Alden
• Andrew Baker (Shelburne Selectperson)
• John Cornman
• Sheryl Gilmore
• Arthur Samuelson

Executive Committee of the Friends of the Arms Library

• Christin Couture
• Candace Curran
• Sharon Glazer
• Sally Judd
• Joan Lawless
• Peter Schriber
• Barbara Schauer

The Friends have a membership of about 50 people. Anyone wanting to become more involved with the Arms Library as a Friend of the Library, may contact the Director at the library; your name will be passed on to the Friends group.

Updated December 2023