Joanna Bailey named director

Joanna Bailey has been appointed director of Neill Public Library in Pullman by the library's board of trustees. The appointment was made at the board's monthly meeting on Wednesday.

"Joanna is the ideal person to lead Neill Public Library," said Board Chairman William Brock.  "Having served as the library's interim leader for the past two years, she has proven she has the skills needed to succeed.  Joanna has been with the library for a long time and is well-respected by everyone -- staff, patrons, and the community at large."

Ms. Bailey joined Neill Public Library in 2001 as an administrative assistant.  Over the years, her duties and responsibilities expanded to the point when, following the previous director's resignation in 2009, the board of trustees asked her to lead the library on an interim basis until a permanent director could be hired.

"The hiring committee conducted two national searches, but neither effort bore fruit," Brock said, adding, "the right person for the job was already in the building. Joanna had been doing a great job as the de facto director and, with two failed searches behind us, it made perfect sense to appoint her as the permanent director," Brock said.

With encouragement from the board, Bailey applied for certification from the Washington State Library.  Her professional librarian's certificate was issued November 3 and the library's trustees unanimously approved her appointment as director at their next meeting.