2 women sentenced for stealing from Grove City Library; WKBN, December 18, 2025

Patty Coller, WKBN; 2 women sentenced for stealing from Grove City Library

"Two women who were charged and convicted separately for stealing from the Grove City Library were sentenced in Mercer County Common Pleas Court. 

Amy Gallagher, the former director, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $6,680...

In Meghann Rigney’s case, she pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking in connection with charges that were filed in October over unauthorized withdrawals from a bank account held by the Grove City Friends of the Library. It was determined that $9,450 in unauthorized electronic payments were made between March and July 2025, according to the criminal complaint.

Rigney was the former president of the Grove City Friends of the Library."

Kinds of Intelligence | LJ Directors’ Summit 2025; Library Journal, December 2, 2025

Lisa Peet, Library Journal; Kinds of Intelligence | LJ Directors’ Summit 2025

"LJ’s 2025 Directors’ Summit looked at artificial—and very real—intelligence from multiple angles

If there was any doubt about what issues are on the minds of today’s library leaders, Library Journal’s 2025 Directors’ Summit, held October 16 and 17 at Denver Public Library (DPL), had some ready answers: AI and people.

Nick Tanzi hit both notes handily in his keynote, “Getting Your Public Library AI-Ready.” Tanzi, assistant director of South Huntington Public Library (SHPL), NY, and technology consultant at The-Digital-Librarian.com (and a 2025 LJ Mover & Shaker), began with a reminder of other at-the-time “disruptive” technologies, starting with a 1994 clip of Today Show anchors first encountering “@” and “.com.”

During most of this digital change, he noted, libraries had the technologies before many patrons and could lead the way. Now everyone has access to some form of AI, but it’s poorly understood. And access without understanding is a staff problem as well as a patron problem.

So, what does it mean for a library to be AI-ready? Start with policy and training, said Tanzi, and then translate that to public services, rather than the other way around. Library policies need to be AI-proofed, beginning by looking at what’s already in place and where it might be stressed by AI: policies governing collection development, reconsideration of materials, tool use, access control, the library’s editorial process, and confidential data. Staff are already using some form of AI at work—do they have organizational guidance?

Tanzi advised fostering AI literacy across the library. At SHPL, he formed an AI user group; it has no prerequisite for participation and staff are paid for their time. Members explore new tools, discuss best practices, complete “homework,” and share feedback, which also allows Tanzi to stress-test policies. It’s not a replacement for formal training, but helps him discover which tools work best in various departments and speeds up learning.

We need to demystify AI tools for staff and patrons, Tanzi noted, and teach ethics around them. Your ultimate goal is to create informed citizens; libraries can build community around AI education, partnering with the local school district, colleges, and government."

The true story of a famed librarian and the secret she guarded closely; NPR, October 29, 2024

Jordan-Marie Smith , NPR; The true story of a famed librarian and the secret she guarded closely

"The name Belle da Costa Greene might not ring a bell, but New York's historic Morgan Library and Museum is trying to change that.

A new exhibit called "A Librarian's Legacy" opened this month, just in time for the Morgan's 100th anniversary. It traces Greene's life and her lasting influence as the library's first director.

It was an unusually prominent role for a woman at the time — a Black woman who chose to pass as white to survive in a highly segregated America."

The former Campbell County Library Director is suing the Bennets and the library; Wyoming Public Radio, October 12, 2023

Jordan Uplinger , Wyoming Public Radio; The former Campbell County Library Director is suing the Bennets and the library

"Terri Lesley, the former Campbell County Library Director, is suing the Campbell County Library System and members of the Bennet family. This comes two months after she was fired with no explanation.

Lesley is arguing discrimination from her former employer and defamation regarding members of the Bennet family. While her case against her former employer will have to be reviewed by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission before going to court, her case against the Bennet family is expected to take place sooner.

Lesley is also suing the Bennet’s for civil conspiracy and conspiracy to deprive her of her constitutional rights. This refers to an incident in 2021 when members of the Bennet family requested the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office pursue claims that certain books in the library violated child-sex laws."

CT library director resigns due to alleged political pressure over LGBTQ+ inclusion; Hartford Courant, October 8, 2023

 Alison Cross, Hartford Courant; CT library director resigns due to alleged political pressure over LGBTQ+ inclusion

[Kip Currier: Paywall: Unable to access article without subscription]

State commission moves to strike standard for library directors; Montana Free Press, October 11, 2023

Alex Sakariassen, Montana Free Press; State commission moves to strike standard for library directors

"The Montana State Library Commission voted Wednesday to strike a longstanding professional requirement applied to the directors of Montana’s eight largest libraries, one that dictates whether those libraries qualify for state funding.

Currently, public libraries that serve more than 25,000 people must employ a director with a graduate degree in library or information science in order to qualify for state certification and, by extension, state revenue. A task force earlier this year recommended that the library commission maintain that requirement. However, several commissioners Wednesday argued that professional standards should be left to local library trustees to set...

Gregory added that Montanans expect their accountants, physicians and attorneys to meet certain educational benchmarks and that removing a similar standard for library directors sends the message that “librarianship is not a profession that needs a professional course of study or license.”"

‘It’s a small number of people who are very loud’: Local libraries grapple with book challenges, bans; TribLive, August 22, 2023

 QUINCEY REESE , TribLive; ‘It’s a small number of people who are very loud’: Local libraries grapple with book challenges, bans

"“It’s a small number of people who are very loud,” Coronado said.

In accordance with the library’s reconsideration policy, Coronado and other library staff members review all challenges that are brought to them and determine the best course of action, which could be moving a book to a new section, removing a book entirely or keeping it at its spot on the shelves.

“My role is to listen, no matter what the (patron) is saying,” Coronado said...

“We’re caught in the crossfire here, but we stick to our tenets,” Riegner said. “We live in a democratic society. We try to provide materials for all walks of life.”

Riegner acknowledged that patrons will inevitably disapprove of some content in the library.

“Some people may like (our book selections). Some people may not like them,” Riegner said. “We’re a public institution, so we will expect complaints from time to time.”

For Beth Mellor, listening to these complaints is essential.

“Our libraries are community-­facing,” said Mellor, director of Oakmont Carnegie Library. “When you are dealing with children, it is so important that you know what’s going on and that you listen.”"

Seeing Your Future Self: Do You See a Library Director? | Leading From the Library; Library Journal, 4/23/14

Steven Bell, Library Journal; Seeing Your Future Self: Do You See a Library Director? | Leading From the Library:

"At some career stage librarians may contemplate moving to an administrative leadership position with the goal of becoming a director or dean. Here are some things to consider as you dwell on your administrative leadership potential.

Deans and directors aren’t the only ones who lead in the library. If leadership is about the ability to influence others and get them engaged with an idea or vision, then leaders can emerge all around the library. However, the scope of your influence, particularly as the architect of a much broader vision for a library organization, will amplify in magnitude as a director. It is regarded as the optimal way to influence thinking at a larger scale, particularly if it requires support from stakeholders beyond the library. More than that, moving into library administration offers the opportunity to implement a personal and unique vision for how a library organization should operate and how it can impact community members."

Around Town: We can't afford to keep quiet about saving libraries; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/25/11

Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Around Town: We can't afford to keep quiet about saving libraries:

"Do we want Pittsburgh to be a great city or not?

That was the unintentional question posed in the fall of 2009 when the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh announced plans to close five of its 19 branches.

The library board backed off when citizens raised the dickens about any move to raze the Dickens.

Raising money is a bit harder. A variety of stopgap measures have kept all branches open, but what the library desperately needs is a dedicated funding source.

Andy Carnegie left some beautiful buildings, but he didn't endow them. The library has to go hat in hand to the city, state and Regional Asset District each year for funding, and the first two legs of that trio have been consistently inconsistent.

Library directors need to crank up individual and corporate giving to build up the endowment, and city voters may be asked in November whether libraries are worth a few dollars."

Libraries strive to keep quality despite cuts; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/18/10

Candy Woodall, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Libraries strive to keep quality despite cuts:

"Their budgets may be getting smaller, but that has only inspired directors of some of the South Hills' biggest libraries to get more creative."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10322/1104123-55.stm