Hildreth, Light, Sass Finalists for Seattle City Librarian
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 11/19/2008
- Three finalists named
- Libraries for All program complete
- Interviews this week
Three finalists, all women, have been named to the short list for City Librarian/CEO of the Seattle Public 
Library (SPL) and are meeting with stakeholders this week. According to a library press release, the candidates are Susan Hildreth, now State Librarian of California; Jane E. Light, now Library Director of San Jose Public Library; and Rivkah K. Sass, now Executive Director of the Omaha Public Library.
Hildreth (right) formerly was City Librarian in San Francisco and was recently a finalist for the top job in Boston. Light (below left) saw her library become the Gale/LJ Library of the Year in 2004; her former library, in Redwood City, CA, won the inaugural award in 1992. Sass (below right) was LJ’s 2006 Librarian of the Year.
T
his week, each finalist is spending a day at the Central Library, meeting with the library's executive team and participating in town hall forums with staff, together with the library board and the board of the Friends group. Sass is in Seattle today, Hildreth tomorrow, and Light on Friday.
The new library leader will replace Deborah Jacobs, who in the spring announced sh
e’d leave to become deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries Initiative. The Interim Chief Executive is Marilynne Gardner. SPL is completing its decade-long "Libraries for All" building program, involving 27 new or renovated buildings; however, as with other urban libraries, SPL faces increasing pressure on operating costs.
The Search Committee was composed of board members Dr. Rajiv J. Shah and Marie McCaffrey, union representative Linda Saunto, and former board member Linda Larson. Members of the public and staff were invited to submit comments on the library and what they’d like to see in a new chief executive.
