Library Director Suchy introduces new Deputy Director Hilary Savage

At the June 9 meeting of the Belleville Area District Library Board, new Library Director Mary Jo Suchy introduced her new Deputy Director Hilary Savage.
Savage had served as Adult Services Librarian at the Belleville library.
Director Suchy said she had considered changing the structure of the administration and not having a deputy director, but decided the deputy director structure seemed to work the best for Belleville.
Suchy said Savage started at the district library as an intern while she was in the last stages of completing her master’s degree in Information at the University of Michigan.
Savage was hired to be Adult Services Librarian in January 2011 and was promoted to Adult Services Department Head last December. Suchy said Savage has more than doubled the adult program attendance, has collaborated with the Friends of the Library on their Homegrown Knowledge series, implemented computer classes and the tech-tutoring program, is the library’s go-to expert on how to access all of the library’s e-resources, and has created and is in charge of its Facebook presences.
Suchy said Savage has fantastic collection development skills and has revamped many areas of the library’s non-fiction collection.
Suchy said, “Hilary has a good eye for trends and innovations in the library world and possesses what I like to call ‘library sense.’
“Hilary is well-respected by the staff and her calm and unflappable demeanor, and excellent public service philosophy, will stand us in good stead,” Suchy said.
In other business at the June 9 meeting, the board:
• Held a public hearing on the 2015-16 balanced budget of $965,080 and then approved it;
• Approved a modified letter of agreement between Suchy and the library board for her new position as director. Suchy’s base pay is $75,000;
• Amended the 2014-15 budget of $966,570 which required taking $10,410 out of the fund balance to balance the books;
• Passed a motion on the fund balance allocation per GASB 54;
• Approved updating the Freedom of Information Act Policy to comply with state law. It had to be updated by July 1. Suchy said all the FOIA information will be put on line for everyone to have access to;
• Heard board member John Juriga report that the siding company came back and redid the siding that was damaged by weather and did an “excellent job.” He also said the drinking fountain leaks and will have to be replaced;
• Heard board secretary Joy Cichewicz say the board needs to look at the next steps based on the survey and the election, now that there is a new director. They will have a building committee meeting first and then talk about the subject at the next meeting, July 14 at 7:30 p.m.;
• Heard Barbara Miller ask, again, from the audience for the library board to record the board meetings for cablecast to residents in the tri-community. She said discs could be sent to Sumpter Township and Van Buren Township for showing on their cable channels. She said since the board is not paying huge amounts to attorneys and an architect it could afford this small amount to record the meetings. “I think it’s time to do that,” Miller said;
• Heard Sharon Peters reply, “It is something to consider,” but noted the issue for this board should be going forward on plans for the library. “We would have to talk about funding the library building”;
• Heard a question from the audience asking if the board couldn’t put the check register on line for people to study. She said that way people would be less likely to feel the board is hiding something and it is public information; and
• Heard Tanya Stoudemire apologize for being a few minutes late for the meeting because of her new responsibilities. She said she had just been offered the position of Budget Director for the City of Detroit and had accepted.