Debbie Manget, Conyers-Rockdale Library System's director of 25 years, is no longer director after the Library Board decided not to renew her contract earlier this year. Assistant Director Daryl Fletcher was named interim director.

Libary Board Chairman Jerry Troff said the board unanimously voted at the March 22 meeting not to renew Manget's annual contract. Her last day was April 27.

"We had some things we were doing and one of those things was looking at the director position," said Troff. "We just elected to go in a different direction. We felt a change was needed." Troff said there was no precipitating event or development that caused the change.

Board Member Charlotte Gellert recalled being on the board when they first hired Manget for the library when it first became an independent system, separate from DeKalb, in 1985. She said the vote on March 22 was a painful one.

Troff said, "Anytime you have a long time employee, those kind of decisions are not easy to do."

The board is not posting for a director position or the assistant director position currently, said Troff.

"At this time, we’re going to work with Daryl. He’s got our full support," said Troff. "Right now, we’ve got several positions we haven’t filled.  Everywhere across the state, libraries, every community is having to struggle with the lack of tax base." The majority of the directors' salary is paid by the state, according to Troff. Manget's ending yearly salary was $79,290 and she did not recieve a severance package.

Fletcher came to the Conyers-Rockdale Library in 2006 as Assistant Director for Technical Services. Prior to that, he worked for a company Interface Electronics that serviced libraries and for the Ga. Public Library Service.

He said while he is learning the ropes of his new role, "There is a direction I’d like to see the library go in: improve customer service, continuing to explore new technologies to better serve the public."