The East Lansing Public Library has a new interim director.
That‘s after the library’s previous director, Kristin Shelley and assistant director, Brice Bush recently resigned.
Last month, the library’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to offer Angelo Moreno the position. WKAR's Megan Schellong spoke with Moreno about his agenda.
Interview Highlights
On the leadership skills he brings to this role
I've been working in libraries for about 11 years. In most of those positions, I have been public facing, working directly with the public. So, I have a long background working directly with library patrons and have a pretty good feel for what people expect and want from the libraries. And I've been at ELPL for four years as adult services librarian. In that position, I have done a lot of outreach to different communities throughout the city, bringing library services directly to them, getting to know them, working with them to plan events, do programs.
On what he's looking to do differently than the previous director in this role
My position is intended to be six months, at which time I will return to my adult services librarian position. So, our focus in the next six months is really making sure that our staff and the board put together the most thoughtful and productive and forward-thinking process for selecting a permanent director. That will be our focus in the next six months.
On how he is planning to handle aracial discrimination case brought forth by the East Lansing Human Rights Commission about an ELPL incident in January
First of all, I want to, once again, extend apologies to the family that had to suffer from that incident. We've done that as staff and I will do it again, on the air. And with regards to the current case brought forth by the Human Rights Commission, you know, I come from, it's no secret to the public that I come from a union background. And we in the union world really do respect and believe in a proper grievance procedure. So, I think that that complaint moving forward is something that is actually quite productive.
Interview Transcript
Megan Schellong: The East Lansing Public Library has a new interim director.
That‘s after the library’s previous director Kristin Shelley and assistant director Brice Bush recently resigned.
Last month, the library’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to offer Angelo Moreno the position.
Moreno previously served as ELPL’s adult services librarian.
Moreno joins me now. Thanks for being here.
Angelo Moreno: Thanks for having us.
Schellong: What skills are you hoping to bring to this leadership position after working at the library for four years?
Moreno: Yeah. I've been working in libraries for about 11 years. In most of those positions, I have been public facing, working directly with the public. So, I have a long background working directly with library patrons and have a pretty good feel for what people expect and want from the libraries. And I've been at ELPL for four years as adult services librarian. In that position, I have done a lot of outreach to different communities throughout the city, bringing library services directly to them, getting to know them, working with them to plan events, do programs.
And so in that period, I've been able to develop a really strong relationship with many members of the community. And importantly, my position here as interim director has the backing of our staff who is really wonderful and who have made this transition pretty seamless. And so, we are really sort of seeing this position as one of collaboration as we move through this transition.
Schellong: You just kind of mentioned staff, you're stepping into the role after Kristin Shelley who led the library for more than a decade. Tell us about some of the things you're looking to do differently.
Moreno: I am really focused on leading our staff here at the library under the direction of the board, in collaboration with the board as we search for a permanent director. And my position is intended to be six months, at which time I will return to my adult services librarian position.
So, our focus in the next six months is really making sure that our staff and the board put together the most thoughtful and productive and forward-thinking process for selecting a permanent director. That will be our focus in the next six months.
Our focus in the next six months is really making sure that our staff and the board put together the most thoughtful and productive and forward-thinking process for selecting a permanent director.
Schellong: I want to shift gears now. In January of this year, community members spoke out against a decision by ELPL administration, specifically former director Shelley to call the police on a Black teenager in the library who was wrongly identified as being connected to a vandalism incident. Can you talk about how you're planning to handle that case moving forward?
Moreno: Yeah, absolutely. And first of all, I want to, once again, extend apologies to the family that had to suffer from that incident. We've done that as staff and I will do it again, on the air.
And with regards to the current case brought forth by the Human Rights Commission, you know, I come from, it's no secret to the public that I come from a union background. And we in the union world really do respect and believe in a proper grievance procedure. So, I think that that complaint moving forward is something that is actually quite productive.
And we welcome continued cooperation with the Human Rights Commission as we process that complaint, and make sure that the folks well, first of all, that it's resolved and that those who need to be made whole are made whole.
Schellong: And Angelo, what do you see as some of the most pressing issues at the East Lansing Public Library?
I know you mentioned you know, you guys are focused on preparing to bring in the next director. But aside from that, what are some other of the most pressing issues?
Moreno: Well, I would say that what we're focused on, in addition to what you already said of searching for the permanent director, is continuing our programs, continuing our services, continuing our outreach and providing that top level service that the staff has always provided.
So, that's really what we're focused on is making sure that the community, our patrons don't experience any interruptions in service, don’t experience any unmet expectations. And so, that's really what our focus is in the next several months.
In addition to, as already mentioned, making sure that not only that we find and hire a permanent director, but that the process itself is a process that includes the voices of the community, that includes the voices of the staff, that includes all of the voices that have a stake or a investment or an interest in making sure that this public institution moves forward in a good way.
Schellong: Angelo Moreno is the interim director for East Lansing Public Library. Thanks Angelo.
Moreno: Alright, thank you.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.