Library faces change

Library faces change

There are those who believe that libraries are irrelevant in the digital age, but we’re guessing most of the people who think so haven’t been in a library for a while.

Today’s libraries cater to people who want to expand their knowledge using books (the old fashioned kind and e-books), computers, other media, seminars or classes. Regardless of age.

Libraries are changing with the times and opening up horizons as much today as when Andrew Carnegie began his campaign to build libraries for the common man 130 years ago.

A director retires

The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County has been adapting under the leadership of Carlton A. Sears, the library director, for 15 years. With his impending retirement, the library has been seeking a successor in a diligent and transparent fashion.

As part of that transparency, the public will have an opportunity to meet and question two of the finalists for the job at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the meeting room of the Poland Library.

The two candidates, winnowed first from 25 and then from eight, are John S. Weedon, former deputy chief librarian in Hartford, Conn., and Juliet Machie, deputy director of the Detroit, Mich., public library. A third finalist accepted another job offer late last week.

The session presents a valuable opportunity for people to get a sense of a prospective leader of what remains a valuable community asset, our public library system.