Meet Our New Managers!

MCPL has several new members on its branch management team. We recently sat down with each of them to learn a little bit about them. If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by their branches and say hello!

Adrienne Buss, Smithville Branch Assistant Manager

In her previous career, Adrienne was an assistant branch manager at a bank. Though the work was very interesting and certainly never boring, Adrienne wanted to serve her community and feel a greater sense of passion in her work.

Adrienne’s favorite genre? “I’m a bit hard to pin down; I will read all sorts of different things! Probably my most frequently read genre would be mystery, although I'm in a ‘Halloween-y’ spirit and have picked up several horror novels recently. I've made it through all of Riley Sager’s books, but my recent favorite has been The Return by Rachel Harrison. It's the first horror book that has truly creeped me out!”

Jay Bitner, Colbern Road Library Center Assistant Manager

Jay joined MCPL about five years ago as a part-time employee and is now the Assistant Manager of the Colbern Road Library Center! Before working at the Library, Jay was an assistant curator at the Ellis County Historical Society in Hays, Kansas.

Jay’s favorite genre? “I tend to read all different genres. I am in a queer book club, which definitely makes me read more outside my comfort zone. I always say I have two book series that I really love: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and The Lord of the Rings. I can never pick which one I like better. Right now, I am reading Circe by Madeline Miller, and I am really enjoying it. My kids and I are reading the Eerie Elementary books together, as well.”

Sam Begley-May, Grandview Branch Manager

Before MCPL, Sam held a variety of interesting jobs, including running the operations booth on the night shift at a PBS station, coaching and judging college debate, playing the piano for a church and a nursing home, and typing notes for a physicist who was writing his memoirs. However, Sam has been passionate about libraries since Day 1:

“I’ve been in libraries since I was in the womb. One of my first memories is sneaking away from my mom browsing for books at the Lee’s Summit Branch to go to the storytime area where there was a fun craft being made!”

Sam’s favorite genre? “I don’t think I can choose a favorite book or even a favorite genre! I love everything from sci-fi to YA to cookbooks. Right now, though, I’m on a romantic comedy kick—Sally Thorne and Christina Lauren are both great rom-com authors that write fun and fluffy books that are a good way to escape anything stressful in the world today.”

Sam Mueller, Smithville Branch Manager

As a student in Columbia, Missouri, Sam served in the Army Reserves for eight years. A history degree led him to an internship with the State Historical Society of Missouri. There, he worked with an oral historian who suggested Sam should go to library school. Sam began working at MCPL at the Blue Ridge Branch in 2017 and is now the Manager of the Smithville Branch.

Sam’s favorite genre? “I can find something in just about every genre. I recently have dipped my toes into the world of graphic novels, specifically image comics. I tend to lean toward nonfiction though. I just love learning and growing. I will pick up books on history, such as In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown. At the same time, I lean toward thrillers and mysteries in fiction. I am currently reading Open Season by C.J. Box.”

Sarah Gamble, Grain Valley Branch Manager

Sarah joined the MCPL staff in 1994 and became the manager of the Grain Valley Branch in 2021.

“I love the chance to serve others and discover new ideas, technology, and resources.”

Sarah’s favorite genre? “I enjoy reading a variety of genres, but I love sci-fi and fantasy. I like how the genres often take real-world issues and pose them in a futuristic or otherworldly setting. The plot and conflict play out like a wonderful experiment, and the results are often quite insightful without the constraints of real life. Sometimes, I wonder: Can we learn more from fiction than fact?”

Stop by your local MCPL branch to meet the staff and see how they can help you!

-MCPL Marketing & Communications