BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
There are two familiar faces at the newly named Mary C. Brown Public Library in Union County, but while the faces are the same, the functions these people serve have changed.
With the retirement of long-time library Director Mary Brown a few weeks ago, her assistant, Priti McNutt, has taken the helm, with the support of Brown, who had spent time preparing her for the position. Although Brown had brought her up to speed and recommended her to the county board of commissioners, the position was still advertised, and several applicants were interviewed. In the end, McNutt was selected to fill the position and hit the ground running.
From Jersey City to Lake Butler
McNutt, 43, has worked at the library since 2001 and was selected as assistant director in 2005. She is a second-generation East Indian immigrant – she said her parents came to the U.S. for a better life. She and her sister were both born in Jersey City, New Jersey. After a few years in the North, she said her parents wanted to move somewhere slower paced. They had family in Florida, so they decided to move here, landing in Lake Butler.
McNutt began third grade at Lake Butler Elementary School and later graduated from Union County High School in 2000. She attended Santa Fe Community College and graduated with an associate’s degree in general studies, then attended online Liberty University, earning a Bachelor of Religious Studies degree in 2015. With a gentle push from Brown, she enrolled at Florida State University, earning a master’s in library and information science in 2020. Much of this later program was online and in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She met her husband, Brad, in 2007 and married him in 2009. He is originally from Orange Park. The couple has one daughter, who is still in elementary school.
McNutt officially became the library director on July 1, 2024, but she had been training under Brown for four years to prepare for the transition.
“I have some very big shoes to fill,” McNutt said. “Mary was here at the library for 31 years. To many people around here, she was the library.”
McNutt said she is not planning to make any drastic changes in her new position. She said what she really wants to do is “support the community.” She intends to work hard to support the services that Brown established.
McNutt said she is appreciative of the position she has been given. Lake Butler is her home, and she loves it. She feels lucky to have the opportunity to serve the people of the county.
When not helping others find books, McNutt likes to read when she can find the time. She is an eclectic reader, liking a little bit of everything, especially historical fiction and fantasy. She also enjoys family time.
“All it takes to make me happy is watching movies with my husband and daughter, helping her build Legos, going to theme parks, and spending time outside in nature,” McNutt said. “As long as I am with my family, it is a good time.”
Houseplant hobbyist
So, it doesn’t take a degree in math to figure out that if the assistant director becomes the director, someone must take the assistant director position. That person, promoted earlier this month, is Tennille Brannen. She began working at the library in late 2021 after “retiring” as a stay-at-home Mom while her children were small. Although originally from Dade City, she has been in Union County since she was 10 and attended school with McNutt. Before her promotion, she worked as a circulation supervisor and young adult specialist. She is currently enrolled at Florida Gateway College, pursuing a degree in general studies. She married her husband, Adam (aka “The Captain”) in 2002, and the couple has two nearly grown children, Ian (19) and Leah (17). Adam works at Sandvik in Alachua but used to work painting boats.
Brannen said she is grateful for the promotion. She said she started at the library part-time, but her first promotion was to full-time after a year and a half. She said she also likes to read historical romance and general fiction, but she has problems finding the time.
“I have been a houseplant hobbyist since 2021, and that is my main “fun” at home,” Brannen said. “I read about plants, watch YouTube videos about plants, and love spending time taking care of them. Recently, I have been getting into Hostas – they are smaller than many of the plants that I grow, so they don’t take up as much room.”
Family fun is also on the menu for Brannen. She enjoys outings to any of the regional springs, tubing down the river with her family alongside. She said she also spends time with her younger “babies,” two cats named Sox and Opal.
McNutt and Brannen are still getting used to their new positions but seem to be settling in just fine. They enjoy working together and collaborating on ideas to keep the library fresh and inviting to all who love to read. They also participate in the library’s other programs. They both say they are happy where they are and have no plans to leave for a long time.
