Sunday, January 02, 2011

Meet CQL's Newest Faces

The Library's Newest Staff Member: Liz Hampton-Derivan

The new face you see at the Library's front desk belongs to Circulation Clerk Liz Hampton-Derivan. Six years ago, Liz and husband, Mike, left the small coastal town of St. Marys, Georgia, and settled in Bisbee. Upon her arrival in Bisbee, Liz began working as Bisbee Arts Commission Events Coordinator and substitute teacher for the Bisbee Unified School District. Her artistic passion is working with digital photography, computer image manipulation, and encaustic, a wax/paint medium. Her work is exhibited at Subway Gallery on Main Street in Old Bisbee. Liz also works as a freelance writer and photographer and stock photo researcher. She holds a B.A. in Art History, studied advertising photography, and was educated in journalism by a great newspaper editor in Jacksonville, Florida. When she's not working, Liz enjoys reading (especially art books), listening to music (eclectic mix), cooking (eclectic), watching art films and spending time at home with Mike and their cat, TC. She is happy to be a part of the Copper Queen Library staff, serving the community of Bisbee.

The Newest Members of the Friends of the Library Board:
Sandra Calhoun & James Coull

Sandra Calhoun, Member-at-Large, is a long time Bisbee resident. She first volunteered with the Friends of the Copper Queen Library in 1980. During the last 30 years, she has served as Chocolate Tasting Coordinator (a role she's taken on for this year's "20th Annual Chocolate Tasting"), typed overdue notices, kept the library open at night, alphabetized the (physical) card catalog, created flyers for fundraisers, and served in various offices of the Friends. Sandra has been working overseas for the past few years and is glad to be back in Bisbee and once again participating with the Friends.

James Coull, Member-at-Large, hails from Quebec, Canada by way of a thirty year stop in Portland, Oregon. He has been in Bisbee for three years and feels this is a great place to be. James is a volunteer for several community nonprofits, but his biggest passion is the Copper Queen Library. He says, "While there are many art and music outlets, I bring creativity to Bisbee with my free 10-week creative writing workshops, called Freewrite. There were four successful series last year, and my goal is to double that this coming year. With the library providing such a great space and The Friends funding the supplies and me donating my time, people have another way to connect, find their unique voice, and be a part of one of the best creative things they'll ever do." Watch for James in a starring role in Obscure Productions' upcoming Inherit the Wind.