The Pine River Library board of directors stayed close to home Wednesday in its selection of the library’s next leader.
Assistant Director Brenda Marshall will take over as interim director after award-winning leader Shelley Walchak retires at the end of January. Marshall, a Bayfield resident since 1997, will act as interim director for one month before negotiating for the position permanently. No other candidates will be considered.
“Brenda has been an asset to the library in her role as assistant director,” said Vaughn Morris, board president. “I have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead the library in an interim role, and if appropriate, to become the next director of the Pine River Library.”
The interim period allows for the board and Marshall to ease into the permanent position and pull back if necessary, Walchak said. Marshall will also be evaluated at the end of February for the permanent position.
The board almost offered the position to an out-of-state candidate in November, but the candidate declined the offer.
“I am so thrilled to have Brenda taking the helm. We have worked together for six years, and she is the perfect person to take over as director,” Walchak said.
The pay range for the director position is $65,000 to $92,000. Marshall will receive entry-level pay for her interim role and will negotiate her permanent director salary March 1.
“I am really excited to be given this wonderful opportunity,” Marshall said. “I love our community and our library – this really is the perfect job for me.”
As director, Marshall will take on financial and staff oversight, building community connections, navigating the coronavirus pandemic and working on a 2021 strategic plan.
For Walchak and Morris, Marshall’s leadership style and knowledge of the community will be some of her main strengths as director.
Marshall is focusing on learning as much as she can to ensure a smooth transition, she said.
While the pandemic was a challenge, she said it also gave staff members a chance to evaluate services and find ways to improve.
She plans to gather input from staff and community members to help inform the strategic plan next year.
In the past, Marshall has been hesitant to take on the role of director, saying she was happy working as assistant director.
“Shelley has big shoes to fill,” she said. “Conducting the director search caused me to look hard at what I believed was important for our library, and I realized it is essential to have someone who is rooted in our community and passionate about our library.”
Plus, Marshall will have more time to devote to the library now that her youngest son has graduated from Bayfield High School, she said.
“As a new empty nester, I now have more time and energy to commit to this big challenge,” she said.
smullane@durangoherald.com
