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Leonora Kaufmann, MLIS—Leonora is the Manager of the Carolina Room. She received a BS in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Lehmann University-CCNY, and MLIS from University of South Carolina-Columbia. Leonora provides leadership and oversight to the Carolina Room, ensures a positive library experience for customers, and supports proactive services to the community both virtually and onsite. Prior to working for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Leonora served as Director of Information Resources for Carolinas HealthCare System for 22 years.

Meghan Bowden, MH—Meghan is the Carolina Room’s Genealogist and Library Aide. She received a BA from University of Colorado-Boulder and a Master of Humanities from University of Colorado-Denver. She concentrated her graduate studies on History and Architectural History. Meghan enjoys conducting historical research and helping others learn more about their family history. She also leads the Carolina Room’s efforts in book preservation.

Robert Stocker, MLIS— Robert is the special collections cataloger in the Carolina Room. He holds a BA from Furman University and MLIS from UNC Greensboro. He has worked in public libraries since 1989 and has been with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library since 1998; he joined the Carolina Room staff in 2014. Robert is a certified North Carolina Public Librarian.

Shelia Bumgarner, MA, MLIS—Shelia is a Librarian, Photograph and Music Archivist, and Curator of Exhibitions for the Carolina Room. She received a BA in History from Elon University, and an MA in American History and MLIS from UNC-Greensboro. Shelia specializes in Social History, preserving photographs, Charlotte-Mecklenburg local history, and bringing history to the public through educational programming. Shelia is a certified North Carolina Public Librarian.

Sydney Vaile, MLIS— Sydney is the Carolina Room’s archivist. As Archivist, she acquires, preserves, and makes accessible the Carolina Room’s collections to the public. She received her BA in History from Virginia Tech, and MLIS from the University of Maryland-College Park. Sydney is a certified North Carolina Public Librarian and is working toward earning a Digital Archives Specialist Certificate from the Society of American Archivists. Sydney also has a strong passion for research and education; she is motivated to empower young learners with skills in archival research to help jumpstart their excitement in learning history. Sydney is a certified North Carolina Public Librarian and is working toward earning a Digital Archives Specialist Certificate from the Society of American Archivists.

Thomas Cole, Ph.D., MA, MLIS—
Tom is a librarian and historian in the Carolina Room. He received a BA in History from Vassar College, MA and Ph.D. in History from Johns Hopkins University, and MLIS from UNC-Greensboro. Tom manages the digital content on www.cmstory.org, the Carolina Room’s website. He also leads a variety of educational adult programs both in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system and out in our community. Tom can speak five languages and enjoys web development. He is a certified North Carolina Public Librarian.