Hot Topics Blog

Today, author Paul Volponi, will be working with a special group of 50 Harford County teens to discuss his book, BLACK AND WHITE, and some of the issues this text addresses about "race relations, moral ambiguities, and heartbreaking choices."


Paul Volponi lives in New York City and works as a writer and journalist. For 6 years, he taught writing to incarcerated kids on Rikers Island and later drug day-treatment centers. We'll be posting more specific information about today's session and some of the teen reactions later.

Audra Caplan, Director of Harford County Public Library (HCPL), recently named Mary Hastler to the position of Associate Director. She will oversee the materials management, public services, marketing and development areas of the library.

Ms. Hastler brings a wealth of public library and management experience to the Associate
Director’s position, having worked at both Harford County and Baltimore County Public Libraries. Her work experience includes a combination of public and support service. Before accepting the Associate Director position with Harford County, Ms. Hastler served as the Associate Director for Support Services for Baltimore County Public Library since August 2006. From November 1996 through August 2006, Ms. Hastler held positions in the materials management and public services departments of HCPL, including four years as Public Services Administrator. Before her career with HCPL, Ms. Hastler served in managerial positions with Homewood Hospital/ Johns Hopkins Health System and the Baltimore County Department of Health.