After a nation-wide search, the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) Board of Trustees is extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Stephanie Hall as the next executive director.
The board was very satisfied with the number of outstanding candidates who expressed interest in the position and is delighted with this outcome. Ms. Hall will succeed Ms. Lesley Dieno who, after 25 distinguished years at the helm of the ORL, will be retiring at the end of December 2012.
The board would like to thank Ms. Dieno for her exemplary leadership of the ORL during a time of considerable growth and development.
The search was spearheaded by the Board of Trustees Personnel Committee, led by Ms. Marilyn Harkness, who said, “Ms. Hall brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and passion to the position and the board looks forward to her endeavors on behalf of the ORL’s future.”
The Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ms. Carol Zanon, stated, “Upon Ms. Dieno’s decision to retire, the board initiated a nation-wide search for the next executive director, as the position involves the investment of both the financial and cultural interests of the many communities that make up the regional library system. The board recognizes that the new executive director must bring many skills that are needed to address the challenges that libraries, staff and trustees face in the new age of internet literacy and changing technologies. The board wishes Ms. Hall the very best as she assumes her new responsibilities.”
Ms. Hall is currently the Director of Public Library Planning with the Province of Saskatchewan. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto and has 23 years of varied public library, academic library and special library experience. Prior to her current role, she was the Chief Librarian with Powell River Public Library, and then moved to Saskatchewan to become Director/CEO of the Chinook Regional Library.
Ms. Hall stated, “I’m really looking forward to working with the board and staff of the Okanagan Regional Library. It’s a well-managed organization, and that makes it a great platform for launching new initiatives. I’m interested to learn about what matters most to Okanagan communities about reading, lifelong learning, and libraries, and eager to start work on those priorities. Public libraries help people learn and grow throughout their lives. As we look to the future, I see some great opportunities to re-envision how we support that core role.”
The board is extremely pleased to have someone of Ms. Hall’s calibre as the next executive director. She will bring significant strengths to the position, including a passion for public library services and the positive changes libraries can make in people’s lives, and a well-developed understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing libraries. She is well poised to take over the leadership of the ORL during this pivotal time in the ORL’s evolution. Ms. Hall will assume her new role February 1, 2013.