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Justin Kontonicolaou became the young adult librarian in Ridgewood following the retirement of Gina Mitgang.
Kontonicolaou had a month to work with Mitgang before she left and said she has big shoes to fill.
"She has just done so many wonderful things for the community and as much as I feel like I can bring really great ideas to the table, it's no comparison to what she's already done," Kontonicolaou told Daily Voice. "She's like a legend here."
Kontonicolaou worked in several libraries prior to joining Ridgewood, including Leonia, Washington Township, Hackensack and Montclair. She graduated from Montclair State University and earned her master's degree at Drexel.
The librarian said she wants to spend time reaching out to the community and offering more programs to middle school and high school students. She's already planning ahead to summer reading programs.
Many of the programs were started by Mitgang and now continued by Kontonicolaou.
"It's been a wonderful experience and I learned a lot," she said of the transition. "I'm also excited to branch out on my own."
Visit the teen section of the Ridgewood Public Library's website to see the latest young adult programs and events.
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