The Mollie Dodd Anderson Library is not your typical high school library. Just past the doors, you are met with friendly faces, collaborative student groups, and a comforting atmosphere with stunning views of campus. Whether you are looking for the book in your English class, help on your IB research paper, or a break from the stress of a busy school day, the library is a safe and inviting space for all community members.  

This welcoming atmosphere is created intentionally and deliberately. The team — Director of Library Services Alex Pfundt ’03, long-time George School Librarian Peggy Karaffa P’14 and experienced Librarian and Learning Specialist Caroline Sipio — values their work as equally as the community they build around it.  

“The library is a non-judgmental zone where students and adults can come and be themselves, explore whatever they want, ask questions, and be open to learning something they may know nothing about,” shared Peggy.  

The Mollie Dodd Anderson Library opened its doors in 2009 and was in large part a gift from Barbara Dodd Anderson, who made an extraordinary $128.5 million gift to the school in 2007. Named in honor of her granddaughter, the Mollie Dodd Anderson Library, affectionately known as “MDA,” operates as both a lending library, where students, faculty, staff and campus families can check out books, and an academic library, where students are introduced to research and resources similar to what they’ll find in college and university libraries. It is also home to the Learning Center, Waghorne Academic Study Hub (WASH) and the George School Archive. 

“We aim to be as much of an academic library as we can be while maintaining the mission of a high school library — to promote appreciation for reading and be a community space for students,” said Alex.  

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Meet the staff that make it happen!

Alex Pfundt ’03, Director of Library Services

Alex’s recommended reads: “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller and “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt 

Alex’s experience as a former George School student and mentality as a lifelong-learner informs his philosophy as director of library services. As a student with co-op in McFeely (which housed the library before MDA was built), he did not imagine a life in libraries. But he always had an affinity for research and learning, and after working for an information science company and later in academic libraries, he was drawn back to George School four years ago.  

When Alex introduces the library each year during New Student Orientation, he emphasizes the opportunities and value the library provides. “I try to impress upon our students how wonderful it is for them to have access to a library like this in their school that supports intellectual freedom,” he explained. “I also encourage students who don’t see themselves as readers to remain open to the possibility that they might have an inner reader waiting to be discovered, and exploring a wide range of genres — from the classics to young adult fiction to graphic novels — might just be the key to uncovering it.” Alex’s main goals for the library program are to offer as many different options for students in terms of reading choices, functions of the library space, and resources; and to create an environment where students feel welcome and empowered to ask for help. “Learning and research are not solitary endeavors,” he said. Alex collaborates with teachers on integrating library and digital literacy instruction into courses, introducing students to college-level resources, and looks forward to connecting with students in individual research consultations. As a published researcher himself with interests in the intersection of libraries and academic success, Alex is an invaluable resource to students and the community.  

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Peggy Karaffa, Librarian

Peggy’s recommended reads: “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles and “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune. 

Being a librarian was always Peggy’s dream; she has worked in libraries since she was fourteen years old. Her career in education started at Germantown Academy before she set off to be a research librarian. But she missed education and to her surprise — the teenagers — so she leapt at the opportunity to come to George School as a cataloging librarian in 2001. Her husband, Kevin, a GS employee for nearly 30 years, was already working here at the time. “I told him, ‘This is my last job. If I’m happy here and they’re happy with my work, I’m staying.’” Twenty-three years later, Peggy supervises the newly launched Student Library Leaders program, develops the collection, provides readers’ advisory and research help, plans and hosts events, and is a constant friendly and warm presence in MDA. Despite her growth across all aspects of the library, she always returns to cataloging. “It’s my passion!” she said. Dedicated to uplifting the joy of reading and learning to all, she hopes to collaborate with campus partners on events and loves working with students directly. “Finding the right book for a certain student and seeing them connect with it, there’s no better satisfaction!” 

This fall, the library has been a part of initiatives like hosting a writing workshop in partnership with the student art and literary magazine Argo with published author and current GS parent Angie Cruz P’26, leading a Banned Books Open Mic during Banned Books Week, and celebrating World Mental Health Day in partnership with the Student Health and Wellness Center. Interested In learning more about Library events? Read more Library News.
 

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Caroline Sipio, Librarian and Learning Specialist

Caroline’s recommended read: “Funny Story” by Emily Henry and “He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters” by Schuyler Bailar 

In her third year as a librarian and learning specialist at George School, Caroline shares her love of learning, writing and reading in the library, during research instruction in the classroom, and in the learning center with individual students. With a background in higher education in the libraries of Villanova University and Boston College, Caroline bridges academics with fun while working with the high school population. “My work is to help students get excited about research, what they're reading, and their assignments, but it’s also to get them excited about learning. This helps cultivate a lifelong love of learning and reading both inside and outside of the classroom,” she shared. Caroline truly lives out George School’s mission to “treasure learning for its own sake and using it to benefit a diverse world.”  

“There are hundreds and hundreds of books on the shelves and all of them have a different story. It’s really humbling for me to think about how each of them has something to offer us and something to learn from,” Caroline continued. With a passion for DEI and mindfulness, Caroline’s main goal is creating a safe space for all students in the physical space of the library and through equitable access to both its physical and digital resources. She enjoys knowing how each part of the library works – from cataloging new acquisitions, to providing research support, being a friendly face at the circulation desk, and planning engaging library programming. “This is [the George School community’s] library, and everyone is welcome here.”  

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MDA Library