ANDOVER, Mass. — The New England Library Association has announced that eight librarians from Maine have been chosen to attend the 2013 New England Library Leadership Symposium.

Founded in 2002, NELLS is an intensive one-week symposium for early to mid-career librarians, library staff members, Friends and Trustees. This year’s program will be held July 29 to Aug. 2 at the Rolling Ridge Conference and Retreat Center. As in past years the symposium will be led by Maureen Sullivan, nationally-known library leadership trainer and immediate past president of the American Library Association.

Maine participants are Beth Kane, library director at the Norway Memorial Library; Devin Burritt, assistant director and head of youth services at the Wells Public Library; Samantha Cote, associate director for youth services and technology at the Jackson Memorial Library in Tenants Harbor; Sonya Durney, business and government team leader at the Portland Public Library; Ann Filley, circulation and adult services librarian at the Rockport Public Library; Kate Pickup-McMullin, assistant librarian at Southwest Harbor Public Library; Kara Reiman, children’s services assistant at the Westbrook Public Library; and Holly Williams, circulation and catalog librarian at the Pittsfield Public Library.

Each year at least one mentor librarian is chosen from each participating state, and for 2013 Maine will have two mentors in attendance. Valerie Osborne and Stephanie Zurinski, regional consultants from the Maine State Library, will serve in that role.