Doug Tattershall, media relations coordinator for Lexington Public Library in Kentucky, sent American Libraries an e-mail announcing that three finalists for the library's vacant executive director position will be in Lexington for two days this week interviewing. The process will include a public forum at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 4, at the Central Library Theater. Candidates also will meet with the staff and managers and will tour the library system’s six locations, he said. The chosen candidate will replace Kathleen Imhoff, whose controversial firing last July was the subject of much local media scutiny. The candidates are:
• Cindy Lombardo, public services administrator of the Cleveland Public Library in Ohio. Lombardo oversees public services for a system that consists of 28 branches, bookmobile service and a large central research library. She has a master’s in library science from Kentucky State University and a doctoral degree in education from Ohio State University.
• Don W. Barlow, executive director of the Westerville Public Library in Ohio. Barlow is also on the board of directors for both the Ohio Public Library Information Network and Ohionet, and is an adjunct faculty member at Kent State University. He received his master’s degree in library science from the University of Kentucky.
• Brian Lewis, county librarian at the Tulare County Library in Visalia, California. Lewis oversees a system of 15 branches serving a population of 320,000. He has a master’s degree in library science from the University of Southern California and a master’s in public administration from Utah State University.
The library board of trustees will vote on a new executive director at its February 10 meeting, Tattershall said, noting that 32 people applied for the position and that a search committee interviewed seven candidates last week in order to select the three finalists.
