The Oak Park Public Library Board of Trustees has approved the search firm that will hunt for a new library executive director, months after the previous leader was let go.
Much of the discussion about choosing a search firm was held during the executive session portion of the June 25 library board meeting – behind closed doors without the public present.
But in the open session that followed, trustees chose to use Koya Partners, part of the Philadelphia-based Diversified Search Group, to help the library find a new leader. The search fee will be one-third of the annual salary of the new director plus bonuses and a 2% fee on top of all that.
Library spokeswoman Jodi Kolo did not provide a dollar estimate of the search cost or what the new director’s salary might be.
The move to secure a search firm follows months of community anger aimed at the director and other library staff, and accusations of institutional racism.
In March, the board fired former Executive Director Joslyn Bowling Dixon. The termination came after community outrage – led by the Freedom to Thrive Oak Park group – and an open letter that alleged, “Black and POC staff at the library are being impacted by the executive leadership team and library board’s mismanagement.”
On March 16, the board announced Dixon was fired.
Since then, the library has been co-directed by two people who were already on staff, Leigh Tarullo and Suzy Wulf.
The board has not explained their version of events that led to the public furor, though in a press release published after Dixon’s termination did make clear the board didn’t trust Dixon or her judgment.
After Fruth agreed to an interview with Pioneer Press, Kolo said Fruth reversed course and said he would not comment on any of the board’s actions or its future plans. She also did not immediately explain when a new director would be chosen.
At the board meeting, Wulf said the board could see candidates as early as August. In the meantime, she said that she and her co-director are keeping the day-to-day library operations functioning.
“We’re doing our best,” Wulf said.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.
