Oak Park Public Library’s Board of Trustees has engaged Alice Calabrese-Berry as a search consultant to support the Board in its national search for a new executive director. A decision on a candidate is expected by the end of March 2013. Rebecca Teasdale, currently Oak Park Public Library Assistant Director for Public Services and Programs, has been appointed Interim Director, effective January 1, 2013.

The search process is to replace Executive Director Deirdre (Dee) Brennan who announced her resignation effective December 31, 2012. Brennan will become the new executive director for Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS).

Calabrese-Berry has contributed to the library profession on local, state and national levels for more than 40 years. She also assisted with Oak Park Public Library’s 2006 executive director search process that resulted in hiring Brennan.

At its regular November meeting, the Board passed the library’s new strategic plan and 2013 annual budget, both of which will be available on the library’s website in mid-December. The Board also remains committed to providing award-winning, 5-Star library service to the community.

 “The Library Board is committed to finding a candidate that will be committed to serving the community and building upon what the staff has accomplished to date in implementing our strategic plan,” said Library Board of Trustees President Lane Hart. “We know library directors across the country have been taking note of our recent successes, and in many cases, following our example. We expect to have an impressive pool of applicants for the executive director position.”

More About Alice Calabrese‐Berry
Calabrese‐Berry served as Executive Director of the Metropolitan Library System through October 2010. She is currently Adjunct Faculty at Dominican University and President of the River Forest Public Library Board. Alice has also served as Executive Director of Executive Director at Chicago Multitype Library System, Northern Illinois Learning Resources Cooperative (NILRC), and the DuPage Library System.

More About Rebecca Teasdale
Teasdale has served as Assistant Director for Public Services and Programs since 2010 and as such has overseen all services at Oak Park Public Library’s three locations and online. She previously served as Deputy Director and Director of Reference Services at Schaumburg Township District Library. She also has experience as a manager and librarian at Multnomah County Library and Eugene Public Library in Oregon. She has been active on committees of the American Library Association, Public Library Association, and Illinois Library Association and earlier this year completed a three-year term on the Executive Board of the Illinois Library Association.