Communications Department - (360) 943-5001 - Fax 586-6838 - 415 Airdustrial Way SW - Olympia, WA 98501
Reference & Information line: 704-INFO in Olympia area or toll-free 1-800-562-6022. 
TRL Web site: http://www.trlib.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts: Tina Roose, Interim Director, 360-704-4502 or Susan Hanson, Communications Manager, 360-704-4507.  Outside Olympia calling area: 877-284-6237, ext. 2502 or 2507. 

Timberland Library Board Announces Hiring of New Director

After conducting a national search, the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees has appointed Jodi Reng of Worthington, Minnesota as the next Director of Timberland Regional Library.  She will start on November 3.  Ms. Reng’s salary will be $98,000 per year, plus health and vacation benefits.  Ms. Reng has accepted the appointment to the position.  She is currently Director of the Plum Creek Library System in southwestern Minnesota, a regional system of 26 libraries in nine counties.

Pat Shults, vice-chair of the Board and chair of the Search Committee states, “Jodi brings to Timberland a depth of library management experience and the talent and enthusiasm to continue the high quality of service provided by the 27 community libraries.  She rose to the top of a very talented pool of applicants and was a unanimous decision of the Board.  We were impressed by the emphasis she put on listening to and working with the communities in her current district.  We are looking forward to working with her on Timberland’s many opportunities.” 

Ms. Reng has 18 years of library experience—16 in public libraries (13 as director in multi-branch library systems) and two in a school library. Prior library positions were all located in Washington State: Ms. Reng was Director of Pend Oreille County Library District in Newport, District Library-Media Specialist for Selkirk School District in Metaline Falls, and Branch Manager of Calispel Valley Community Library in Cusick. Previously in the private sector, Ms. Reng trained and motivated a sales force of 4,200 as regional vice president of a national direct sales organization. She holds a Masters in Library Science from the University of Washington and certificates in teaching and school media from Eastern Washington University.

In response to the Board’s appointment of her as Director, Ms. Reng said,” I’m looking forward to working with the Board, staff and patrons to build on the strength Timberland has already established of patron oriented library services and programs. 

Also, in her application, Ms. Reng states “I am a librarian.  That means I have devoted my life to helping people cross the bridge from where they are to where they want to be. This involves predicting and meeting the needs of people from a wide variety of backgrounds.”

Ms. Reng was recommended as the finalist to the Board after an extensive review and interview process that included input from the general public at 5 public forums. The position was advertised nationally and applications accepted from late February through May. The search committee included members from the TRL Board of Trustees, TRL administrators and staff, citizens from the Friends of the Library and local library boards, the TRL Staff Association and the TRL Foundation.

After reviewing the applications of 15 qualified applicants, the committee selected eight for first round interviews, held in June. The search committee narrowed the field to four candidates who were then interviewed in a second round in July by the committee, the TRL administrative team, and several Board of Trustees members. At the end of July, the search committee and TRL administration recommended one finalist, Jodi Reng, to the Board for the third round which consisted of a final interview with the Board and five public forums, one in each of the Library District’s five counties.  Over 185 people attended the forums and provided comments that were reviewed by the Board.

Tina Roose, TRL Deputy Director of Public Services is serving as Timberland’s Interim Director since the retirement of Director Thelma Kruse on May 2.

Timberland Regional Library serves Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties at 27 community libraries and 6 school-based cooperative library centers. For information on any subject, the public can telephone Timberland’s Central Reference Service librarians at 704-INFO (704-4636) from Thurston County, Shelton and Oakville or 1-800-562-6022, toll-free, from all other areas in the district. Or they can “Ask a Librarian” online at http://www.trlib.org/asklib.htm. Anyone needing special accommodations to participate in a library’s program may contact the library 4 days in advance.

Revised 09/12/03