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Borough Director, Bronx Neighborhood Library Networks, New York Public Library.
"Gesille fights for the notion that the people of the Bronx are worthy of having access to world-class resources and fights to erase all obstacles."
Gesille Dixon is in charge of the 35 Branch Libraries that serve nearly 1.5 million residents of the Bronx. Foremost for Ms. Dixon is the importance of libraries as a place to promote literacy, but she is also is acutely aware that what each library offers has to be tailored to the specific needs of the community it anchors. Says Ms. Dixon, "Libraries have always been gateways, it is a gateway to foreign lands, to creativity and imagination, but it is also a gateway to a better education, to job resources, to citizenship and to a very caring community." Throughout her career, she has been a pioneer in forging strong community partnerships with neighborhood organizations, schools, and government agencies and when necessary in taking the library to people where they work—the Bronx Terminal Market—or where they live—assisted living facilities. Charlie Vazquez, formerly with the Bronx Arts Council's says, "Gesille fights for the notion that the people of the Bronx are worthy of having access to world-class resources and fights to erase all obstacles."
