The National Sporting Library has a new President and CEO, Nancy Parsons, who replaces Acting Director Rebecca Tomlinson. The changing of the guard of this research center for horse and field sports, its impressive collection, its mission and future, took place in September with enthusiasm from both the outgoing and incoming directors.

In the official press release concerning her appointment, Parsons is quoted as saying she is "thrilled to be here in Middleburg and to have this fabulous opportunity to lead the National Sport Library." But in conversation her assertion that she was "born for this job" gives one a better indication of just how passionate she is about her new position.

Of her successor Tomlinson expresses more than subtle confidence. "I am wildly enthusiastic about her!" Tomlinson, who stepped up to the charge of overseeing the Library's operations when her husband Ken Tomlinson, then Director of the NSL, was called to other duties in Washington, has mixed emotions about leaving. "We didn't come to Middleburg to run a library," jokes Tomlinson, "But working with the Ohrstrom family and serving the community has been one of the delights of my life."

In fact, Tomlinson and husband came to Virginia on a more personal mission, which though consistently interrupted by various calls to duty, remains to breed and race thoroughbreds. When Mr. Tomlinson arrived here from his longtime home in Westchester, NY, he enjoyed some early success in this endeavor and this brought him to the attention of Library Chairman Emeritus, George Ohrstrom, Jr..

Mr. Ohrstrom tasked Tomlinson with launching the NSL in its current 15,000 square foot location in Middleburg. Tomlinson was happily at work on this when duty called yet again, this time by none other than President Bush. In 2003 Tomlinson became Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The NSL was turned over to the capable hands of Tomlinson's wife Rebecca who became Acting Director. During that time she made sure the institution operated in the black, originated a popular lecture series and oversaw a number of unique sporting and art exhibits including the current "Animals in Art" collection now on view in the Library's Founder's Room.

Still, "acting director" indeed implied that one day the position would be turned over to someone else. While Tomlinson has enjoyed her tenure at the Library she is happy for the opportunity to return to her life. "I'm going to read and travel and do all the things you can't do when you have responsibility like the library."

In the meantime, Parsons is bringing her considerable strengths and experience to her new position. She comes to the Library from Monticello where she lead the principal gifts effort. Prior to that she lead the Arts and Historic Preservation campaigns at the University of Virginia and managed the major gift office at the Darden Graduate School of Business at UVA. In addition, she organized and managed the regional campaigns in New York City and Chicago for the University of Virginia's $1.5 billion capital campaign. Before all this, Parsons was the Director of Development for the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA. It was during this stint that she first came to the Middleburg area to hunt with Orange County, Blue Ridge and Piedmont hunts.

Yes, Ms. Parsons hunts. And is an avid horsewoman. And a firm believer and lover of all things sporting. Which, combined with her impressively suitable resume lends credence to her assertion that she was, in fact, born for the job.

Again, both women agree not just on Parson's suitability for the job at hand but on what that job, and the very mission of the Library mean in the broadest sense. "The Library is about books and scholarship, and racing and fox hunting – but its ultimate mission in the 21st century is the preservation of our open space and sporting culture," says Tomlinson.

Parsons agrees, noting that her personal vision "goes beyond preserving this wonderful collection of books but to the very culture it represents, and sharing it with an ever more broadening audience."