The seek for a brand new CEO for the Indianapolis Public Library is nearly full.

The 2 finalists for the place, Nichelle M. Hayes and Gabriel Morley, gave public shows Nov. 30 at Clowes Auditorium at Central Library, laying out their imaginative and prescient for the way forward for the library.

This system was moderated by Brian Hare of Bradbury Miller Associates. Every candidate had 10-12 minutes to talk about how they might “lead the group towards future success,” Hare stated. The library’s earlier CEO, Jackie Nytes, resigned in August 2021 amid allegations of racism.

Up first was Morley, who earned a grasp’s in enterprise administration from Western Governors College in addition to a grasp’s in library science and a doctorate in grownup training from the College of Southern Mississippi. Morley’s presentation lasted roughly 25 minutes. He shared tales of how he helped modernize and restructure different libraries, akin to main a $275 million capital enchancment program in Atlanta.

“A part of what I’m going to be proposing immediately is a reformation — a rethinking about the best way we strategy libraries and the way we take into consideration libraries,” he stated.

Morley stated his plan for IndyPL is three-pronged to set a brand new customary for libraries. His plan contains concepts akin to shared governance — which might combine stakeholder participation and accountability in any respect ranges of the group — enhanced communication and a “tradition of care.”

“That is about getting folks to interact in what we’re doing,” he stated. “It’s really about taking a step ahead, proper, not a step again or a step sideways.”

Morley stated he goals to have staff work together with one another and with patrons in significant methods. The tradition of care would search to higher perceive staff’ experiences in an effort to enhance engagement.

“My pondering round this tradition of care is that we’re continuously working with staff to make their expertise higher in an effort to extend patron expertise,” Morley stated. “That’s been the objective of the library for two,000 years, proper? It’s to make communities higher, to uplift communities.”

Hayes, who’s at the moment serving because the library’s interim CEO, stated her imaginative and prescient for IndyPL is to proceed on “a path of constructive change.” This contains pushing wages above market, making a protected and welcoming atmosphere, evaluating and restructuring the system and persevering with variety, inclusion, tradition and fairness initiatives.

“I would like us to be an employer of alternative,” stated Hayes, who can be the primary supervisor for the Heart for Black Literature and Tradition. “Meaning when we’ve openings, I would like different folks to say, ‘You wish to go work on the library, it’s a superb place to work, they’re good folks, they’ve a mission.’”

Throughout her time as interim CEO, Hayes stated the library has completed good work, however there’s nonetheless extra to do. As an illustration, she stated they must be comfy having uncomfortable conversations and higher symbolize the communities the library is supposed to serve.

Moreover, Hayes stated she desires to coach the neighborhood on “freedom to learn” in mild of the rising controversy surrounding e-book banning.

“We all know there are lots of people which can be protesting books and eager to ban books,” she stated. “Now we have a plethora of books in our system, each bodily and digital, and should you don’t like a e-book, let me inform you a secret: You truly don’t must learn it.”

Throughout the Q&A portion of the occasion, viewers members had an opportunity to jot down questions, which have been introduced to every of the candidates. In response to a query about e-book banning, Morley stated he’d prefer to see the library provide you with a coverage that outlines its core values and what it’s going to and won’t tolerate.

“Having that coverage vetted by an legal professional so we are able to ensure that we’re on good authorized grounds after which making an attempt to face agency,” he stated. “What we don’t wish to do is have interaction on this back-and-forth with folks as a result of we’re by no means going to win that argument.” 

Hayes restated her earlier sentiment about freedom to learn, including that labeling books as “harmful” could have children operating straight towards them. 

“We will’t make librarians scared about doing their job,” she stated. “We will’t threaten to ship them to jail as a result of they’re giving a toddler a e-book.”

On the subject of the library’s position in responding to homelessness, Morley stated all of it is dependent upon “the place you might be and the way a lot management you might have.”

“For instance, we tried to design the library in a means that will be accommodating however that will additionally not encourage 9 or 10 hours of loitering each day,” he stated of his earlier library expertise. “We tried to design the libraries in a means that offered sufficient computer systems that we lower down on the wait instances and the frequent frustrations that come from not having sufficient entry to expertise.”

Hayes stated most of these people who’re homeless are identical to different patrons.

“It’s vital for us to deal with them with respect and courtesy,” she stated. “There’s a small proportion that type of actually go and trigger us some challenges. The library can’t bear all the burdens of the issues we’ve with folks experiencing homelessness, so we actually obtained to herald different neighborhood companions.”

When requested what they valued most in library programming, Morley stated he valued return on funding. If the library offered programming on issues folks have been concerned about like they did books, Morley stated they’d see a “more healthy attendance.”

Hayes stated she values having a wide range of programming that basically seeks to interact folks is. For instance, Hayes spoke of a program on the Heart for Black Literature and Tradition the place folks are available in and browse Frederick Douglass.

“We have been simply merely studying a speech that was nearly 100 years previous after which we talked about that,” she stated. “There have been no bells, no whistles, no meals, no music, no dancers, it was simply engagement and thought and connecting with one another.”

Since April of 2022, IndyPL’s Board of Trustees’ Range, Coverage & HR Committee has labored with a CEO search committee to herald candidates for consideration. Following the shows, the board will conduct closed interviews with the candidates earlier than making a suggestion. Extra data may be discovered at indypl.org.

Contact employees author Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Comply with her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.