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: Susan Hanson, 360-704-4507; Leanne Ingle, 360-704-4508.  Outside Olympia calling area: 877-284-6237, ext. 2507 or 2508.

The Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees has invited one of the final four candidates for the Library Director position to return for further interviews and public meetings. The Timberland Regional Library District (TRL) will hold five public forums August 28 and 29 to provide the public, officials, and TRL staff the opportunity to meet with finalist, Jodi Reng.

A forum will be held at a community library in each of TRL’s five counties: Raymond (Pacific County), Lacey (Thurston County), Shelton (Mason County), Aberdeen (Grays Harbor County), and Centralia (Lewis County). Times and addresses are listed below.

Ms. Reng will give a presentation entitled "The Role of the Public Library in the 21^st Century" at each of the forums. The public will have the opportunity to ask questions, engage in informal conversation, and offer written comments on a form that will be provided. Comments may be turned in after the programs or mailed by Saturday, August 30.

In her application essay, "Library Leadership in a Time of Increasing Need and Decreasing Revenue," Ms. Reng stated: "I believe the role of tomorrow’s Librarian is to help people to improve their lives, whether through education, through problem solving, through information retrieval and analysis, or just by widening their horizons and expanding their experience through well-chosen fiction." Ms. Reng’s resume and essay will be available for the public to review starting August 11 at all Timberland libraries. The items cannot be duplicated and must be read in the library.

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. She is currently Director of the Plum Creek Library System in southwestern Minnesota, a regional system of 26 libraries in nine counties. 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.

Ms. Reng was recommended as the finalist to the Board after an extensive review and interview process. 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, Friends of the Library, 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 of interviews and the public forums. The Board is expected to make a final decision about the applicant in the second half of September.

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.

*The Centralia library closes at 5 p.m. but the meeting room will stay open for the forum.

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 08/11/03