Diane X. Brown, a New Haven native, became a librarian after receiving the Bill and Melinda Gates Fellowship in 2003. She joined the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) as a Junior Librarian that year, and soon after earned her Master's in Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University. In 2004, she became the Young Adult Librarian at NHFPL, later transitioning to Manager of the Stetson Branch in 2006. Additionally, Diane taught as an adjunct professor at SCSU in the Department of Information Technology and Library Sciences for five years.
In 2015, Diane received the national “I Love My Librarian” award from the American Library Association for her innovative programming and community partnerships. She created the “Teach Them While They Are Young” series in collaboration with community- based organizations, which included programs like youth cooking, chess, martial arts, and the cultural initiative "Africa Is Me," an interactive program for families to learn about the rich culture of Africa In 2017, she was honored with the Connecticut Library Association’s Special Achievement Award for 10 years of success with this program. Diane returned to SCSU in 2018 as a part-time adjunct at Hilton C. Buley Library.
For the past six years she has played a lead role in every aspect of the construction of the new Stetson Branch Library that opened in March 2022. Under her leadership, the NHFPL system wide staff curated a collection of 18,000 multi-media items for the new branch. She single-handedly curated adult collections of Black books making the collection the largest of its kind in a public library throughout Connecticut and beyond. She renamed “The African American Collection” to “The African Diaspora Collection” to include the works of Black people around the world.
For decades, Diane has been a pillar in the greater New Haven area and beyond, recognized for her leadership and dedication. Her expertise as an African American librarian has made her a sought-after speaker, and her compassion has earned her numerous accolades. These include the Community Hero Award (2023), the NAACP Youth Services Award (2021), the "I Love My Librarian" National Award (2015), and more.
For decades Diane has played a significant role throughout the greater New Haven community and beyond, sharing her knowledge and expertise in many areas. She attributes her success to leading by example through “understanding” and being “engaged”. Her experience and success as an African American librarian have placed her in high demand for motivational speaking engagements and seminars with local and state libraries as well as various institutions and organizations. Her dedication and compassion are well recognized and appreciated by her colleagues and the community. To that end she has received numerous awards, citations and accolades including but not limited to The New Haven Chapter of the Links, Inc., Community Hero Award, (2023); City of Bridgeport, Mayor Joseph Ganim, Citation, Woman of Excellence, (2023); New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Arts Education Award, (2021); and Greater New Haven Arts Council, Community Leadership Award (2019).
