City of Worcester, MA

Worcester Public Library Search Committee Announces Three Finalists for Head Librarian

For Immediate Release: 1/30/2015 1:13 pm

Worcester, MA (January 30, 2015) - The Worcester Public Library Board of Directors Search Committee has announced three finalists for the position of Head Librarian.

The final candidates are:

• Geoffrey Dickinson – currently the Acting Library Director of the New Bedford (MA) Free Public Library and has 10-plus years of public library experience. New Bedford Free Public Library is a municipal library and serves 95,000 people with a $2.23 million budget.
• Ronald Shaw – currently the Director of the Chemung County (NY) Library District and has 17-plus years of public library experience. Chemung County Library District is a multi-branch, county-wide special legislative district library serving 89,000 people with a $3.1 million budget.
• Christian Zabriskie - currently the Assistant Community Library Manager, Laurelton, Queens Library, Queens, NY and has 13-plus years of library experience. In addition to his current position, Zabriskie is also founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization, Urban Libraries Unite.

The Board of Directors initiated a nationwide search on October 14, 2014. The board received 28 applications, selected six semi-final candidates for a first round of interviews, and has now narrowed that field down to three finalists. The finalists will go through final interviews on February 4th and 5th in Worcester.

The three finalists will participate in a two-day interview process - including opportunities to interact with the Worcester Public Library staff, the Friends of the Worcester Public Library, Foundation Board members, City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. and others. The candidates will also tour library locations and the City of Worcester. The final interviews with the search committee will occur at the Worcester Public Library Board of Directors meeting which will take place on the evening of February 5th at Worcester City Hall.