Meet Janice Trecker, a dedicated long-term volunteer at the Fletcher Memorial Library who handles 95% of the library’s Public Relations efforts. From creating posters to sending out press releases to various media outlets, Janice ensures that the community is well-informed about library events and services. Her responsibilities also include maintaining the library’s website, which she built, and its social media presence.

Janice’s journey with the library began when Louise Oliver was the librarian. Although Louise assured her this would entail minimal effort, Janice wound up serving as the board’s secretary for nine years. She was also part of the team that affixed barcodes to each book, a necessity for digitizing the library’s collection.

In addition to her volunteer work, Janice is a talented mystery novelist and short story writer, with an impressive 20 plus books to her name. As a newer Hampton resident I found her book: Discovering Hampton—A Connecticut Town, for the Hampton Antiquarian & Historical Society– a very interesting read.

Janice earned a BA in Philosophy from Syracuse University and her doctorate in English Literature from UConn. She was an adjunct in the UConn English Department for 20 years and wrote a number of scholarly papers as well as contemporary fiction and mysteries.
Now that she is retired, Janice can paint, play her violin, garden, and bird watch. She has stopped writing novels, but still publishes short stories and mystery blogs. Writing runs in the family. Her husband Jerry covered sports for the Hartford Courant for fifty years, many of those while teaching high school English. Their son Jamie, currently managing a brewery, has worked as an editor and sports writer and, like his parents, is a published author.

Janice’s move to Hampton 36 years ago was a serendipitous event for the library and the community at large, as her talents and dedication have significantly enhanced the library’s outreach and impact.

The Fletcher Memorial Library board of trustees extends heartfelt gratitude to Janice for her time and talents in promoting the library’s services and programs. She is not just a volunteer; she is a treasured asset to our community.

Andrea Kaye