Library Trustees
Margaret E. Mead, Chair
Peg's earliest association with the Library was as a volunteer during the electronic data conversion of our catalog. She was elected in 1995 and has served as Secretary to the Board and Chair of the Library Building Committee. Peg's background is in public relations, and she has written many press releases for the Board. Peg co-chaired major events at the Library including the Auction in 2002, the Library Opening Gala and Family Day Dedication in 2003. Peg has been active in updating the Library policy manual. Peg has taken several courses in Library Science.
George Comeau, Vice-Chair
George received a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School in 1999. He also holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the Sawyer School of Management and Bachelor's Degree in Communication from the College of Sciences at Suffolk University. George is the Managing Associate Director of University Media Services at Suffolk University and an adjunct professor at Suffolk University, where he teaches courses in Distance Learning, Television Production, Nonprofit Law and Media Writing. George also consults on High Technology issues in education. George was a member of the Town of Canton Planning Board for eleven years and is a member of the Canton Historical Commission. George earned the Trustee of the Year Award in Massachusetts for 2002. In 2004, Governor Mitt Romney appointed George to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners where he serves a Commissioner of Public libraries for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Nancy Connery, Secretary
Nancy moved to Canton in 2016 and was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2019. Although her career has been in hospitals and healthcare, Nancy always incorporated time for books and libraries into her day. She facilitated monthly lunchtime book, article and poetry discussions with her team at Mass General, which included talks with New England authors. Nancy also became a member and shareholder at The Boston Athenaeum while employed in Boston so libraries could continue to be part of her life while working. Nancy received her MA from the University of Rhode Island and her Masters in Management from Lesley University where she became adjunct faculty post graduation. Nancy served as President of Massachusetts Hospital Access Managers and the National Association's Government Relations Committee. Nancy currently is involved in a number of Committees at Orchard Cove; Chair of Finance Committee, Vice Chairman of the Scholarship Committee and Garden Committee Chair. Her interest in programs led her to co-design and sponsor film festivals – topic areas ranged from films about the value of the free press, dance history, films depicting life stages and a festival devoted to women's role in the film industry. Nancy also co-hosts a weekly radio show, “Home Cooking Jazz” from WBRS, the Brandeis radio station.
Jan Chamberlain
Jan is a newly elected library trustee. She has lived in Canton for over forty years. Jan received her undergraduate degree in elementary education from Gordon College and a Master’s Degree in special education from Boston College. She retired from the CPS in 2016 after teaching at the JFK for 12 years, where she also held the position of assistant principal and for one year, interim principal. Jan has also taught in Georgetown and Lynnfield. She raised four children who all attended the CPS and all loved attending story hour at the Canton Public library. She is currently a volunteer with the Mass Association for the Blind and the Boston Chinatown Community Center.
Betty Chelmow
Betty served as a Trustee of the Canton Public Library for thirty- six years from 1977-2013 She was particularly proud of having served both as Chairperson for the first renovation project of the Canton Public Library more than thirty-five years ago and then again for the most recent renovation and construction project. The recent library project was the successful collaboration of the Trustees, numerous town boards, and many public private partnerships. When the recent Covid19 epidemic caused the closing of the library, Betty felt her skills might be once again of some use to the library. She ran again for a position on the Board of Trustees in 2020. Betty received her B.S. in Education from Bridgewater State College and her Master’s Degree from the Special Educator’s Program at Boston College. For twenty-five years she was the Consulting Teacher for the Holbrook Public School’s Special Education Department at the South Elementary School. For the past twenty-one years Betty has held a Massachusetts Department of Education appointment as an Educational Surrogate Parent. She is currently responsible for the educational programing of five special needs foster children in residential placement. In addition, she has served as the Chairperson of Mass Audubon’s Museum of American Bird Art’s Advisory Board.
Susan E. Cogliano
Sue served as Chairman as well as in various capacities since her election in 1989. Together with her husband, Sue has provided delightful, catered refreshments at a number of Friends and Trustee programs. Sue has been a teacher in the Stoughton public school system for 28 years. Sue's "science magic" thrilled many children during princess party sleepovers and other programs. She also develops puppies into becoming seeing-eye dogs, patiently exposing them to various environments - including Trustee meetings.
Emily Prigot
Emily was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2013. Emily has been a board member of the Friends of the Library for many years, and in 2013 was appointed as a trustee of the library. Emily is the Coordinator of the Open Book Coffeehouse (sponsored by the Friends of the Library,) having served in that capacity since she organized it in February of 2006. Emily holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in Portuguese from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She taught Spanish and Portuguese at the secondary level for several years. She worked for the National Park Service as an interpretive ranger from 1990-2019, at Boston National Historical Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Park, and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Since the inception of the Open Book Coffeehouse she has been responsible for booking all of the performers each year (September through June), writing and sending out publicity, and coordinating volunteers to help run the coffeehouse.
Joan Schottenfeld
Joan has been an ABE (Adult Basic Education) teacher for the past fifteen years, helping adults to acquire their GED/HiSET test certifications. She also serves as a curriculum coach and reading specialist/trainer for the Department of Education’s Massachusetts Adult Community Literacy Services. She presently teaches at Julie’s Family Development Program in South Boston. Julie’s helps at-risk mothers and their children achieve family stability and educational advancement.
Christine Untersee
Chris was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2018. She works in the Canton Public Schools where she began as a Library Clerk in 2006. Chris holds a BFA degree in Technical Theater from Emerson College, and has worked backstage with the Canton Community Theater for many years.
The Board of Trustees for the Canton Public Library
welcomes the public to our open meetings normally held on the third Monday of each month. Check The Library Event Calendar for specific information.
If you wish to address a matter at the meeting, please Contact the Trustees by Email in advance.