Worcester Public Library

There's still time to take the survey and help shape the future of arts and culture in Worcester!

Last chance to help shape Worcester’s next Cultural Plan!

If you live, work, study, create, do business or spend time in Worcester, we want to hear what you think should strengthen arts and culture over the next five years. Take about 10 minutes to share your input before the survey closes — and enter the optional prize drawing for two prize packages (valued at $75+) provided by Worcester cafes, restaurants and service providers.

Take the survey: qrco.de/bgyedt

We hope you will join us in two weeks as we celebrate 70 years of the Friends of the Worcester Public Library!

Come meet the volunteers behind all that good work at our Friends of WPL Social on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at Sol Rune , 19 Harrison St.
Thinking about becoming a Friend? Memberships start at just $15/year and include 20% off at the Friends Bookstore. Plus, anyone who joins at the event will receive a coupon for a free large matcha from Sugi Matcha

Come celebrate the Friends, meet some great people and raise a matcha to 70 years of supporting your library!

Happy

We have nutrition classes!
Registration is required, sign up at mywpl.org or by visiting any WPL reference desk for assistance.

Happy National Custodians Day!

Today we’re celebrating the amazing custodial team at Worcester Public Library! They do so much more than keep our libraries clean, they care deeply about our staff, our patrons, and the spaces we all share.

They’re always ready to lend a hand, go the extra mile, solve the unexpected problem, and make sure our libraries are welcoming and ready for whatever the day brings.

We’re so grateful for everything you do, often behind the scenes, but always making a difference.

Thank you for going above and beyond every day!

Community News: Worcester Public Library Celebrates Executive Director Jason Homer as He Departs for Baltimore County Public Library -- After years of transformative leadership, Homer leaves WPL stronger, more connected and well-positioned for its next chapter.

WORCESTER, Mass. - After nearly six years at the helm of the Worcester Public Library, Executive Director Jason Homer is preparing for his next chapter.

The Worcester Public Library Board of Directors announced today that Homer has been named the next Executive Director of the Baltimore County Public Library in Maryland. His last day at Worcester Public Library will be Friday, November 6, 2026.

Homer's departure marks the end of an extraordinary chapter for WPL, but also an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable transformation of the library under his leadership and the strong foundation he leaves behind.

“Leaving Worcester Public Library is incredibly bittersweet,” said Homer. “There is no way to adequately express what this community and this library have meant to me. I have had the privilege of working alongside some of the most talented, creative and committed people in librarianship, and of serving a community that believes deeply in the power of its public library.”

“I am proud of what we have accomplished together,” Homer continued. “But I am even more proud of the people who made it happen. WPL is filled with people who care deeply about Worcester, who believe in showing up for their neighbors, and who are willing to imagine what is possible. I know I am leaving the library in good hands.”

A Library Transformed

During Homer's tenure, WPL has expanded both the scope and depth of its services, embracing the library as essential civic infrastructure and responding to the evolving needs of the Worcester community.

Among the most significant accomplishments is the creation and growth of the Community Resources Department, bringing social work and library services together to connect residents with resources related to housing, food insecurity, health, immigration, re-entry, veterans' services, English-language learning and other critical needs.

WPL has also expanded its digital equity and accessibility initiatives, strengthened community partnerships and developed new services designed to meet residents where they are.

These changes reflect a fundamental belief that the library’s role extends far beyond the shelves. It is about helping someone find a job, learn a new language, access technology, connect with a social worker, discover a new idea, and know there is a place in the community where they belong.

That philosophy became part of WPL's identity through the development of a new Purpose, Ambition and Strategic Roadmap, along with the library's “You Belong Here” brand.

Homer's vision helped WPL articulate an ambitious future while strengthening its position as the heart of the Worcester community.

A Culture of Excellence

One of Homer's most lasting contributions has been his investment in the people who make WPL successful.

During his tenure, the library has attracted top talent in the field of librarianship, created opportunities for staff to grow into leadership roles and cultivated a culture of innovation and professional excellence. WPL employees have received recognition at local, state, national and international levels.

Among the organization's recent honors are the American Library Association's John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award; the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions PressReader International Library Marketing Award; “Library Journal” Movers & Shakers recognition; and the 2026 National Library Service Subregional Library of the Year Award for the Worcester Talking Book Library.

WPL was also a finalist for the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal for Museum and Library Service, one of the nation's highest honors for libraries and museums.

Individual WPL staff and board members have earned numerous additional honors, including the Worcester Regional Research Bureau's Thomas S. Green Public Service Award, Massachusetts Library Association awards, the YWCA's Katharine F. Erskine Award, United for Libraries' ALA Trustee Citation and the “Worcester Business Journal” 40 Under Forty.

“For Jason, leadership has always been about people,” said Stephanie Pasha, President of the Worcester Public Library Board of Directors. “He has challenged us to think bigger about what a public library can be, while making sure that the people doing the work had the support, encouragement and opportunities to make that vision a reality.”

“Jason leaves WPL stronger than he found it,” Pasha continued. “We have an exceptional staff, an engaged Board, dedicated volunteers, strong community partnerships and a clear vision for the future. We are incredibly grateful for his leadership and excited about what comes next.”

The Next Chapter

Homer's departure will not mean a pause in WPL's momentum.

Tressa Santillo, Director for Library Innovation and Public Services, will serve as Interim Executive Director while the Board conducts a national search for WPL's next permanent leader.

The search will seek an exceptional leader who can build upon WPL's strategic direction, strong staff, community partnerships and momentum.

“This is not the end of the story,” said Pasha. “It is the next chapter. Jason has helped put WPL in an incredibly strong position to welcome its next leader. We have the vision, the people and the momentum to continue moving forward.”

Community Celebration

WPL will celebrate Homer's nearly six years of service with a community farewell celebration on Tuesday, October 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Main Library, 3 Salem Square. Library staff, community members, partners, volunteers and friends are invited to come together to celebrate Jason, wish him well and meet the WPL leaders who will help guide the library through its next chapter.

“Worcester gave me so much more than a job,” said Homer. “It gave me a community to believe in, colleagues who became friends, and the opportunity to see firsthand what happens when people come together around a shared belief in the power of libraries.”

“I will miss Worcester enormously,” he said. “But I leave knowing that WPL is ready for what comes next. The best part of this job has always been watching people discover what they are capable of. I have had a front-row seat to that here, and I could not be more proud.”

Jason Homer has helped Worcester Public Library imagine more, reach farther and make room for more people. He leaves behind a library that is stronger, more connected, more innovative and more confident in the role it plays in the life of Worcester.

For more information contact Linnea Sheldon, WPL Community Relations and Communications Manager, at 508-799-1655 ext. 35704 or [email protected]

Join us Tuesday, 10/6 at 1 PM in the First Floor Computer Lab for How to Spot a Scam. Learn how to protect yourself against the most common scams and the red flags to be on alert for. Scammers are increasingly becoming more sophisticated with techniques that can even trick the most informed consumers. Presented by the Worcester branch of The Better Business Bureau and the Worcester Consumer Rights Program, City of Worcester.

Plus: check out some of the other business and finance programs available for interested patrons at WPL!