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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, November 20, 2009 9:41 PM CST
No new executive director soon for Charleston Public Library

By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — The board of directors is making plans to fill the Charleston Carnegie Public Library’s vacant executive director position by the spring.

In the meantime, the library staff has taken on some of the executive director’s responsibilities and the retired director, Sheryl Snyder, has been helping part time as a consultant.

Mary Droste, vice president of the board of directors, said the board is compiling a list of the qualifications they are looking for in an executive director.

The board will then create a job description based on the list and start seeking job applicants.

She said the board wants to have a new director in place by late spring.

“It is going to be hard to fill Sheryl’s shoes,” Droste said.

Sheryl Snyder retired in August after serving nearly 35 years as executive director. Droste said Snyder, in retirement, is helping part time as a consultant for the library.

Droste said the library has a great staff, led by youth service director Judy Looby and public services director Ruth Straith that has been taking on some of the executive director’s responsibilities.

“All of them have been very good about stepping up and filling in as needed. We have had great support and that has been wonderful,” Droste said “They have stepped up beautifully to help us keep the library going and the programs running.”

The library has also faced other staffing shortages in recent months.

The library laid off three full-time and five part-time staff members and cut some of its operating hours in June as part of cost-cutting measures, necessitated in part by additional construction costs incurred during the library’s recent expansion and renovation.

“We are trying to get as many people cross-trained as we can because we are working with such a skeleton crew,” Straith said, adding she has been covering for fellow staff members’ lunches and breaks throughout the library’s service areas.

in addition, the board has experience personnel changes of its own. Long-time president Eric Huddlestun retired and his seat on the board was filled by Tim Newell. Board member Bob McElwee moved outside the city limits and his seat was filled by Angela Griffin. Droste said the board will look at electing new officers in the near future.

Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 238-6861.

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