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board of libary trustees

The Board of Library Trustees is the chief policy making entity for the Library and has the powers and duties set forth in Sections 3-7 and 6-7 of the Town Charter and Chapter 61 of the General Bylaws.

Specific roles and responsibilities for the Board of Library Trustees, the Library Director, the Town Manager, and Library Staff can be found here

The Board of Library Trustees can be reached at dedhamlibTrustees@dedhamma.gov.

Members of the Board of Library Trustees

Amanda WarnerAmanda Warner (Chair)

As a lifelong reader, Amanda Warner believes libraries are cornerstones of strong communities—places where everyone deserves free and open access to information, stories, and ideas. Amanda holds a BFA in Illustration and has been a proud Dedham resident since 2016, when she moved to town with her family.

Amanda loves history, nature and gardening and, reaches for books with magical realism when she needs to escape reality. Her enthusiasm for books has clearly rubbed off—her kids are avid readers themselves. She also serves as a Girl Scout troop leader, helping to foster curiosity, creativity, and community engagement in the next generation. She’s dedicated to supporting and preserving the library as an inclusive and inspiring space for all.

Matthew McGuireMatthew McGuire (Vice Chair)

Matthew has lived in Dedham since 2001 with his partner Jessica and two children, Emma and Jackson. For the majority his professional career, Matthew has worked at the intersection of media, technology and education, most recently as the VP for product and program management for McGraw Hill Education’s K-12 division. Since settling in Dedham, Matt has also served on the board of the Dedham School of Music.

Claudia EatonClaudia Eaton (Clerk)

Claudia grew up in the Boston area, surrounded by readers and had her first job in a library, which she considers her favorite job. She is excited to have called Dedham home since 2019. She lives in Riverdale with her husband, Brian and son, Anthony. Professionally, she has been in the field of education for fifteen years and has been a preschool teacher at Boston College Children’s Center since 2018. 

Danielle AtkinsDanielle Atkins

Danielle has been a resident of Dedham for about 13 years, and has two children at Avery Elementary School, where she has been the PTO co-Treasurer since 2021. For the last 5 years, Danielle has also volunteered at the Avery School library; helping in that capacity really reinforced that this is the work that she really enjoys. She is currently getting her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University with an expected graduation date of December 2026.

Danielle is a member of both the American Library Association and the Massachusetts Library Association. She firmly believes libraries are for --everyone--, and that the rights to read and intellectual freedom are parts of the foundation of our democracy.

Rita ChapdelaineRita Chapdelaine

Rita has lived in Dedham since 2020 with her husband Adam and two kids, Pearl and Roger. Rita is a long-time lover of books, and Friend of the Library. Rita is a licensed independent clinical social worker who oversees the Behavioral Health Division at Pine Street Inn and is a faculty member at the Boston University Graduate School of Social Work.  She also serves on the board of the Dedham Food Pantry.