After a nationwide search, Shreve Memorial Library has named Lynette Roberson as its new executive director, marking a homecoming for the Shreveport native whose lifelong connection to libraries began in childhood.

Roberson joins the library system following her tenure as director of the Irving Public Library, where she most recently served from 2022 to 2026. Her appointment signals a new chapter for Shreve Memorial Library, with leadership pointing to her experience modernizing systems while maintaining a strong focus on community engagement.

“We are excited to welcome Lynette Roberson as our new executive director,” said Don Howard, president of the library’s Board of Control. He described Roberson as a visionary leader with a proven ability to strengthen outreach efforts while advancing library services.

Roberson holds a Master of Library Science and a Certificate in Advanced Management in Libraries and Information Agencies from the University of Texas. Her career spans leadership roles across North Texas, including director of Irving Public Library, managing director of Little Elm Public Library from 2016 to 2022, and both branch manager and district manager positions with the Dallas Public Library system from 2010 to 2016.

Her professional achievements include recognition as a 2006 American Library Association Spectrum Scholar, a 2014 Emerging Leader through the same organization, and a graduate of the Texas Library Association’s Texas Accelerated Library Leadership Institute.

Roberson has built her career around library advocacy, community partnerships, and mentorship. She has emphasized the role libraries play in driving both educational opportunity and economic growth, while advocating for spaces that reflect and serve the needs of their communities.

For Roberson, the new role also carries personal significance. She recalled walking with her father to the David Raines Branch of Shreve Memorial Library as a child to participate in its summer reading program. In a nod to that history, she recently shared two of her childhood library cards with staff.

Now, returning to the system that first sparked her passion, Roberson steps into leadership with a vision rooted in both experience and a deep connection to the community she will serve.