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“HONORING RETIRING DIRECTOR OF THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM MICHAEL C. MAHANEY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2658 on Dec. 19, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING RETIRING DIRECTOR OF THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC
LIBRARY SYSTEM MICHAEL C. MAHANEY
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HON. BRIAN HIGGINS-
of new york
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Mr. Michael C. Mahaney, Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System, whose exemplary service will conclude on January 4, 2008.
Mr. Mahaney began his involvement with the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library (B&ECPL) in December of 1973 as a Library Page in the Central Library's Stack Department. In 1976, he received his Master of Library Science degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and began working as a part-time Librarian at the Fairfield, Mead and Kensington Branch Libraries before being appointed to a full-
time Librarian position in the Central Library's Business and Labor Department.
Mr. Mahaney's love of the library system and his natural leadership abilities soon propelled him to more senior positions within the B&ECPL, including liaison to the Erie County Legislature, Library constituents, local and regional media and the Library Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Library's long range planning committee. He was also an active member of the New York Library Association and American Library Association, frequently representing the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library on committees and task forces and at various state and national conferences.
In January 2000, Mr. Mahaney was promoted to the post of Deputy Director, Chief Operating Officer of the B&ECPL, responsible for the administration of all Library public support and planning functions and played a critical role in the development of the Library's strategic plan.
Following a national recruitment effort in January 2003, Mr. Mahaney was chosen overwhelmingly by the Library's Board of Trustees to serve as permanent Director of the B&ECPL. During this time, he was instrumental in guiding the community through the reorganization of the Library in the aftermath of Erie County's worst budget crisis in history.
In his last year as Director of the B&ECPL, Mr. Mahaney oversaw a
$500,000 increase in county funding and the passage of the Library Protection Act, a local law safeguarding library funds after the county's annual budget is adopted, a goal library officials had sought for 14 years.
Madam Speaker, it is my honor to stand here today to pay tribute to the inspired leadership and remarkable contributions of Michael C. Mahaney during his 34 years of dedicated service to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System. I thank you, Madam Speaker, for allowing me this opportunity to honor Mr. Mahaney's past service and ask you and the rest of our colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Mahaney the very best of health and success in the years to come.
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