Hennepin's Ryan Named To Head Boston Public Library
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 08/15/2008
- Ryan cited for broad experience
- Mayor references community branches
- Hildreth, Gonzalez, and lawyer Birmingham other finalists
In an unanimous vote, the Board of Trustees of the Boston Public Library (BPL) named Amy Ryan, director of the Hennepin County Library, MN, as the new BPL president. In doing so, the board bypassed Thomas Birmingham, a lawyer and former State Senate president seen as an ally of Mayor Thomas Menino, who had clashed with former president Bernard Margolis.
Trustees chose Ryan, according to a library press release, for “her extensive knowledge of big city library systems, her management styles, understanding of technology and commitment to community libraries.” Ryan, former director of Community Partnerships and Development for the Minneapolis Public Library, was named director of the Hennepin library in January 2005, then oversaw the merger of the Minneapolis Public Library into the Hennepin system, which was finally achieved this January.
“I trust Amy Ryan will bring the skills necessary to make our libraries work for everyone–from the magnificent main branch at Copley to our 26 community branches the Boston Public Library should be a treasure for all,” Menino said in the press release. That might be seen as a veiled swipe at Margolis, whom the mayor accused of neglecting the branches. In turn, Margolis pointed to the mayor’s penchant for interference.
"From the point of view of the library, Boston has it all," Ryan told the Boston Globe. "And then, of course, there's the city, Boston. Both my parents are from Boston. Although I've never lived in Boston, it's always been part of my heritage."
The other finalists were Mario Gonzalez, former director of the Greenwich Library, CT, and Susan Hildreth, the California State Librarian.
