Tuscaloosa Public Library Seeks City Input In Hiring Next Executive Director

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa Public Library's Board of Trustees has requested additional input from the City of Tuscaloosa as it looks to hire its next executive director.

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During Tuesday's Pre-Council Briefing, the Council stamped off on appointing Council President Kip Tyner as the city's representative to participate in the hiring process.

City Clerk Brandy Johnson informed the Council the the representative will have a hand in finalizing a job description, along with viewing resumes, conducting interviews and recommending a finalist to Board of Trustees.

Expeciency prompted the swift action by the Council, as the TPL Board of Trustees wanted a representative committed by Friday.

"I have been meeting with them along the way and have been very concerned, to be honest with you, about past decisions that had been made to bring people here from across the country," Tyner said on Tuesday. "When I believe we need to look more local and certainly stay within the state. I’ve had a problem with them hiring folks from Wisconsin and Minnesota and folks who come here that have no clue how things are here in the south."

Tyner then praised Mayor Walt Maddox for setting an example by hiring from within the City Hall ranks when certain positions open up.

"When people work hard to get to that next level, to then go outside the box if it's not necessary is demoralizing," Tyner said. "Unless somebody comes along that just blows you away and I think the library needs someone who knows the city."

The next executive director for the library system will take the position left vacant by the retirement of Rick Freemon last fall.

Jennifer Pearson is serving as the library's interim executive director until the position is filled.

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